An award-winning research project provided the first UK evidence for links between access to outdoor environments and better health and quality of life in old age.
By 2050, there will be 2 billion people in the world aged 60 or over. Older people who don’t find it easy or enjoyable to get outdoors can spiral into poor physical health, less social contact and a reduced quality of life overall. This increases demand on health and social care services.
Little research had explored the relationship between good outdoor access for older people and healthier and more active quality of life into old age. In 2003, the Inclusive Design for Getting Outdoors (I’DGO) project was established. This research project, directed by Professor Catharine Ward Thompson, has provided evidence that maintaining health in an ageing population is related to easy and enjoyable access to outdoor environments.
The I’DGO research showed which aspects of environmental design support walking for leisure and pleasure as opposed to walking for transport. This is a key distinction for understanding physical activity in old age. It also indicated what qualities of the local environment predict whether older people achieve recommended healthy levels of physical activity, and what aspects are associated with quality of life.
I’DGO gathered information through questionnaire surveys, focus groups, activity diaries, street audits, and behavioural observation. In the first project phase, researchers surveyed older people about their wellbeing and quality of life, how often and why they went outdoors, and what features of their neighbourhood helped or hindered activity. Among other insights, the research found that if older participants lived in a ‘supportive’ environment, for example, if their neighbourhood had good quality footpaths to their local open space, they were twice as likely to achieve recommended levels of physical activity.
The second phase of the research project was called I’DGO TOO. This phase focused on current policy and practice, for instance with regard to urban street design guidance. These had not yet been tested for age-friendliness. The researchers focused on assessing the impact of interventions to make streets more pedestrian friendly. They found that measures to make streets less car-centric improved older people’s perception of usability and safety. However, such changes did not have much impact on their wellbeing, social engagement and quality of life.
