Re-Creating ‘The Backyard’ in Senior Communities

Outdoor areas designed to meet the needs of residents, especially those with special needs, can help these older adults feel at home.

If asked to choose an outdoor environment in which you feel comfortable spending time, would you, like many people, say your backyard? Think back to when you were growing up. Did you play with friends in your backyard? Were there picnics and barbeques with friends and neighbors?

Did you have a garden where you grew vegetables with your grandfather or raised roses with your grandmother? These are great memories that you might try to re-create whenever possible in the places you live.

Adults moving into senior communities should also enjoy examples of gardens and landscapes they have experienced in their lifetimes. People can relate to these environments on many levels (e.g., physical, emotional, or spiritual) and through these settings recall pleasant memories. This helps confirm a new residence as home-like.

Moreover, the health benefits produced from interacting with nature, either passively or actively, are extensive.

To continue, read the full-text of my Jan./Feb. 2006 article appearing in The Journal on Active Aging reprinted with permission at my website.