Resident Perceptions of Physical Environment Features that Influence Outdoor Usage at Assisted Living Facilities

Spending time outdoors has been found to have therapeutic potential, and to be highly valued by older adults, yet outdoor areas at residential care facilities are commonly reported as being underutilized. To learn what features of the physical environment were perceived by residents as either attracting or deterring outdoor usage, this study conducted focus groups and written surveys at fourteen assisted living facilities, with 108 residents ranging from 61 to 97 years of age. Participants reported that their outdoor usage was influenced by accessibility, aesthetic concerns, and specific environmental features such as the provision of shade, seating elements, plants, and views. The rural vs. urban background of participants was compared with self-reported time spent outdoors, and no significant association was found. (C) 2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.