HealthyAge Environments - Age- and climate-friendly green spaces

Background:

Demographic change and climate change pose major challenges for retirement and nursing homes. Older people in particular are affected by heat waves and lack of access to health-promoting outdoor spaces. Green indoor and outdoor areas can enhance well-being, health, and social participation, but are often inadequate or not designed to bring different generations together. There is a lack of a central, practical overview of climate- and age-friendly design solutions that facilities can implement directly. HealthyAge Environments closes this gap with a participatory approach and is developing a modular website with nature-based, implementable approaches for healthy, green living spaces.

Methods:

Demographic change and increasingly extreme weather conditions pose major challenges for care facilities. Green, age-friendly, and climate-friendly living spaces can make a decisive contribution to health and quality of life—especially for people who live in institutions and whose range of movement is limited. Research shows that contact with nature, shade, cooling, and incentives to exercise have a positive effect on physical and mental health. Places that facilitate intergenerational encounters are equally important. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of a central, easily accessible overview of proven solutions for indoor and outdoor areas of care facilities in Switzerland.

Results:

The project investigated how health-promoting, climate-friendly green spaces can be designed in nursing homes. It also examined what kind of support is needed for their development and how practical concepts can be effectively communicated. Methods included a literature review, interviews, an online survey, and a co-creation workshop. The results show that nursing homes have a strong interest in creating high-quality green spaces, which are associated with improved well-being, increased activity, and greater social participation. However, challenges include limited resources, low awareness among staff, and a lack of support for planning. Based on these findings, we have defined initial modules for a knowledge platform, including practical solutions for green spaces, process support, and participatory methods.

Impact:

The project demonstrates that age- and climate-friendly green spaces can significantly improve well-being, stimulate the senses, and promote social interaction in nursing homes. When staff and residents are involved in the planning and implementation, acceptance and long-term use increase, and people feel more involved. The results underscore the value of interdisciplinary collaboration between gerontology, landscape architecture, and environmental sciences in creating practical foundations for future projects. Feedback shows that concrete tools and guidelines are needed to support care facilities in the effective implementation and maintenance of green spaces.