Designing an outdoor environment for older adults

• Main Author: Saraswathi, Y. R.
• Other Authors: Ball State University. Dept. of Landscape Architecture.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Barrier-free design for older people.; Retirement communities > Designs and plans.; Landscape design.; Older people > Recreation.; Outdoor recreation.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/185884; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1061976

The goal of this project is to create an outdoor environment that responds to the social, physical and emotional needs of older adults.The main objective of this project is to provide quality outdoor spaces associated with a housing facility. To meet this objective, the project stresses three major objectives: (1) to integrate the older adults' housing facility with the neighborhood in order to eliminate segregation and loneliness; (2) to determine the aspects of nature that are beneficial to the older adults' physical and mental health; and (3) to create an appropriate outdoor environment that will increase social contact and enhance active and passive recreational spaces to improve physical and emotional health.The literature section of this project focuses on setting up criteria for the questionnaire. The Literature review also helps to identify guidelines for design and design principles. Criteria for the final conceptual design was set using the data from the survey and the case studies. Finally a conceptual design was created to meet the objectives. === Department of Landscape Architecture