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Influence of Outdoor Living Environment on Elders’ Quality of Life in Old Residential Communities

Author

Listed:
  • Shiwang Yu

    (School of Civil Engineering, Sanjiang University, Nanjing 210012, China)

  • Yong Liu

    (School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China)

  • Caiyun Cui

    (Architectural Engineering College, North China Institute of Science and Technology, Langfang 065201, China)

  • Bo Xia

    (School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane 4001, Australia)

Abstract

The population is getting older in Mainland China, which presents a huge challenge of how to support these increasing elders to enjoy a high quality of life (QoL). Due to the limited nursing institutions and Chinese traditional culture, aging in place is the most common choice for elders. Up to now, most elders in cities are living in old residential communities (ORCs) rather than new ones. Poor quality of outdoor living environment (OLE) in these ORCs cannot well support the daily life of the elders, especially for those with physical problems. A questionnaire study was conducted to explore the influence of OLE on the QoL of elders living in ORCs. A total of 107 questionnaires were completed by both elderly residents in ORCs (45.79% were male and 54.21% were female). The data was analyzed by a mix of reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results showed that physical health of elders was influenced by distance, safety, greenery, seat, recreational facilities; psychological health was predicted by width, height, and greenery; social relationship was affected by distance, safety, and recreational facilities. Based on the research results, recommendations were proposed to property management service providers and local governments, including providing more seats at a reasonable height, setting handrails alongside the long ramp, installing folding seats along building stairs, and so on.

Suggested Citation

  • Shiwang Yu & Yong Liu & Caiyun Cui & Bo Xia, 2019. "Influence of Outdoor Living Environment on Elders’ Quality of Life in Old Residential Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:23:p:6638-:d:290362
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Fang Dong & Jiyao Yin & Jirubin Xiang & Zhangyu Chang & Tiantian Gu & Feihu Han, 2023. "EWM-FCE-ODM-Based Evaluation of Smart Community Construction: From the Perspective of Residents’ Sense of Gain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Chongxian Chen & Weijing Luo & Ning Kang & Haiwei Li & Xiaohao Yang & Yu Xia, 2020. "Study on the Impact of Residential Outdoor Environments on Mood in the Elderly in Guangzhou, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-18, May.
    4. Teck Hong Tan & Izian Idris, 2023. "Assessing the significance of first place and online third places in supporting Malaysian seniors’ well-being during the pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Ling Zhang & Kebin Shao & Wenfeng Tang & Stephen Siu Yu Lau & Hongzhan Lai & Yiqi Tao, 2023. "Outdoor Space Elements in Urban Residential Areas in Shenzhen, China: Optimization Based on Health-Promoting Behaviours of Older People," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Le Che & Zhijian Guo & Yi Yang & Honghao Kang & Shangqing Cao, 2022. "Life-Cycle Spatial Strategy for Multidimensional Health-Oriented Medical Care Community—From the Perspective of Sustainable Marketing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-26, September.
    7. Shiwang Yu & Na Guo & Caimiao Zheng & Yu Song & Jianli Hao, 2021. "Investigating the Association between Outdoor Environment and Outdoor Activities for Seniors Living in Old Residential Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Teck Hong Tan, 2022. "Perceived Environmental Attributes: Their Impact on Older Adults’ Mental Health in Malaysia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(6), pages 1-13, March.

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