Search

Greenspaces and access to nature are widely accepted as being beneficial to older adult’s health and well-being. Less well known are the natural elements in their domestic outdoor environments that...

Who uses open spaces, when, and why, are critical questions for planning and managing green and blue spaces in urban areas. We argue that use needs to be studied across a range of ages and spaces. ...

In a study on urban greenspace use, we conducted one-on-one interviews with children, parents and grandparents living in multi-generational families; there were 15 families and 57 interviewees aged between 6 and 80 years. Although we set out to interview individuals, in practice, it became a fluid zooming in and out between different family members in a dynamic family environment. When preparing for this research, we could find no guidance related to the complex scenario of multiple-generation interviewing in family homes. Our research provides new insights into interviewing, quality of data expectations, fluid interview situations, the benefits and pitfalls of engaging in dynamic multifaceted family scenarios and ethical practices around consent, confidentiality, disruptions and disclosure associated with multi-generational family engagement. Flexibility and substantial interviewing experience are critical to success; this type of research we discovered is not for the faint of heart. Multi-generation living is growing, highlighting the need for further research into and guidance on multi-generational research that allows the voices of all the generations to be heard equitably and effectively. Such research will be vital for housing, planning, design and social policy-related professions which need to understand better the different values and needs present at different stages of life.

Background and Objectives: People with dementia are critically dependent on their carers when accessing and utilizing health care. To inform health care development and delivery, we aimed to explore carers’ perceptions of their role in caring for a family member with dementia and to identify carers’ skills and attributes and factors impacting on care. Research Design and Methods: We used semistructured interviews to collect data from 25 carers supporting older adults with dementia. Data were thematically analyzed and the paradigm model was used to guide theory development. Results: “Constructing normalcy” was central to all carers did, impacted by stage of life and relationship status and driven by a holistic focus on their care-recipient’s quality of life. Goals guiding care were: keeping the peace; facilitating participation, happiness and independence; and ensuring safety. Enablers included: social contact; knowledge; and quality social services. Barriers included health and legal issues; symptoms of dementia; and reduced knowledge. These goals kept the peace and reduced stress for the cared-for person, but often at the cost of unrelenting responsibility and loss of carers’ original roles. Discussion and Implications: As carers are so critical to the access and uptake of health care of those with dementia, health professionals and services need to support carers in their quest to construct normalcy. Our findings provide guidance to assist in ensuring appropriate support and understanding of carers work in order to optimize dementia health care delivery.

Background/Aims Many people with intellectual disability fall frequently. Understanding fall prevention intervention characteristics will assist efficacy trials to target appropriate people. An exploration of two exercise-based fall prevention interventions is reported, focusing on viability and acceptability. Methods A multiple case study of adults with intellectual disability completing either the group Otago Exercise Programme or the Prevention of Falls for Adults with Intellectual Disability intervention was performed. Integrated data sources were used: semi-structured interviews with participants and support workers, observations, attendance/adherence, falls, adverse events and balance measures. Results In total, seven adults with varying intellectual disability levels participated. Overall, three themes enabled understanding of suitability of people to each intervention: suitability of the exercises; role of the environment; and benefits to participants. Conclusions Educating adults with intellectual disability and their support workers of the importance of regular exercise is key to participation. Both programmes required high levels of support and prioritisation to ensure exercises occurred and were carried out safely.

Nature interaction is seen as a potentially inexpensive intervention to address many health issues. Aging is associated with declining health and mobility. Older people are known to benefit from nature contact; however, less is known about how aging limits access to nature. We investigated older adults occupying family, downsized, and rest homes to determine factors driving changes in nature engagement, and the quality of available nature. Less time was spent in natural places as people aged, depending on the extent of nature connectedness, frailty status, home type, and whether they lived alone or not. Most reported reduced nature engagement and expressed feelings of sadness, frustration, and anger. Gardens assumed an important role in enabling nature contact to continue, in that time spent in gardens was unrelated to age or frailty. Garden variability meant the quality of the nature experience was likely lower for those living in downsized and rest homes.

Considering the important role that paid support workers play in care of older people with dementia, it is vital that researchers and relevant organisations understand the factors that lead to them feeling valued for the work that they do, and the consequences of such valuing (or lack thereof). The current study employed semi-structured interviews to understand the individual experiences of 15 support workers based both in residential care homes and private homes. The General Inductive Approach was used to analyse the interview transcriptions and to develop a conceptual model that describes the conditions that lead to support workers feeling valued for the work that they do. This model consists of organisational or individual strategies, the context in which support work takes place, and various interactions, actions and intervening conditions that facilitate or prevent support workers feeling valued. A significant finding in this research was the role of interpersonal relationships and interactions which underlie all other aspects of the conceptual model developed here. By understanding the importance of how employers, families of older adults with dementia and peers interact with support workers, we may promote not only the quality of work that support workers deliver, but also the wellbeing of the support workers themselves.

Nature exposure during childhood is thought to foster habits and preferences leading to greater nature exposure in adult life, thus providing an indirect route to increased mental and physical well-being, and greater engagement in pro-environmental behaviors (PEB). We explored the relationships between childhood nature experience (CNE) and time spent in nature, landscape preferences, biodiversity exposure, nature connection and willingness to engage in PEB as adults, using two data sets. Adults sampled in three New Zealand cities showed no significant association between CNE and time spent by adults in public and private green and blue spaces, nor with biodiversity exposure, as those with higher CNE scores did not select more biodiverse spaces to visit as adults. There were positive but weak associations between both age and the Nature Relatedness score, and nature contact. A second survey of young adults aged mostly between 18 and 25 years found only a weak association between CNE and willingness to engage in PEB, and similarly weak positive associations with scores representing participants' awareness of the term “biodiversity” and strategies to improve biodiversity, the degree to which they valued biodiversity and urban green spaces, and their belief in the wellbeing benefits of nature for people. Time spent in nature during childhood was not a good predictor of time adults spent in natural spaces, landscape preferences or likelihood of PEB, suggesting that even where there is a deficit of childhood experiences adults can positively engage with nature in green and blue spaces.

Access to nature is important for wellbeing at all ages with significant benefits for older adults. This paper explores the impacts of older adults' age-related health conditions on nature connection, their responses to the changes and identifies the types of nature connections and greenspaces available to and prioritised by older adults. It is based on the experiences of 72 New Zealand older adults aged 65-99, living in family homes, down-sized homes and rest homes. Data were gathered through interviews, photographs and assessments of the natural features of their home environment. Nearly all participants experienced age-related changes in their ways of connecting with nature as living accommodation and especially health and mobility changed. Reduced mobility was the primary factor limiting nature experiences especially for frailer adults. In contrast, for 'younger' older adults, retirement can provide more time and opportunities to engage with nature. Nature connection opportunities are valued by nearly all adults irrespective of age and health. Accessible nature opportunities in the nearby and home environment should be available to all adults irrespective of health and accommodation type. Dedicated resources need to be provided to ensure these opportunities are present for the frailest whose opportunities to have direct contact with nature are frequently absent.