“Enticing” but Not Necessarily a “Space Designed for Me”: Experiences of Urban Park Use by Older Adults with Disability

Meredith Perry, Lucy Cotes, Benjamin Horton, Rebecca Kunac, Isaac Snell, Blake Taylor, Abbey Wright and Hemakumar Devan
Additional contact information
Meredith Perry: Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research (CHARR), School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Lucy Cotes: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Benjamin Horton: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Rebecca Kunac: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Isaac Snell: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Blake Taylor: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Abbey Wright: School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand
Hemakumar Devan: Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabilitation Research (CHARR), School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, Wellington 6021, New Zealand

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: Urban parks are spaces that can enhance older adults’ physical, social and psychological wellbeing. As the prevalence of older adults with disability increases, it is important that urban parks are accessible to this population so that they too might gain health benefits. There is limited literature investigating the experiences of urban parks by older adults with disability. This qualitative study, set in a region of New Zealand, explored the experiences, including accessibility, of urban parks by 17 older adults (55 years and older) with self-reported disabilities. Three focus groups ( n = 4, 5 and 4 people) and four individual interviews were undertaken. Data were analyzed using the General Inductive Approach. Two primary themes of “Enticing” and “Park use considerations” are presented. Urban parks and green spaces are perceived to provide an environment for older adults with a disability to improve their physical, psychosocial and spiritual health, and social connectedness. Parks that are not age, ability or culture diverse are uninviting and exclusive. Meaningful collaboration between park designers, city councils and people with disability is required to maximize the public health benefits of parks and make parks inviting and accessible for users of all ages, cultures and abilities. Park co-design with people with disability may provide one means of improving accessibility and park usability and thus park participation by older adults with disability.

Keywords: accessibility; disability; green spaces; urban parks; public health; older adults (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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