Abstract Type: Independent oral presentation
Abstract TitleGreen Spaces for Older Adults: Knowledge from Designers, Researchers, and Interviews from Thailand
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Abstract
Nearby nature can benefit older adults in several ways, including physical, mental, and social health. Theories such as Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) and Attention Restoration Theory (ART), along with empirical evidence, suggest ways in which older adults could interact with nearby nature to gain these health benefits and how designers could develop nearby nature to meet older adults’ needs. However, guides for designing natural elements for older adults in the Global South are limited. Furthermore, these suggestions are mostly produced and recorded by researchers, sometimes excluding helpful perspectives from designers and the older population. This study aimed to identify possible congruence and incongruence between the perspectives of researchers, designers, and older adults towards designing nearby nature for older adults in Thailand. Qualitative data from conceptual framework development between researchers and designers on the topic were examined in comparison to interviews conducted with older adults in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during April and October 2023 (n=48). The analysis results suggested congruence in recognizing the individuality of older adults as well as limitations in durability. However, the researchers and designers focused less on the importance of spirituality and overall environmental issues. This indicates that designers and researchers can still work with older adults in the community to develop nearby nature systems that could offer significant benefits for older adults in the future. This presentation is novel due to the three-way triangulation between researchers, designers, and interviewees from Thailand. The limitations include the sample sizes and generalizability, which must be explored in future investigations.
Related Conference Topic Area
co-production of knowledge
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Presenter Information
First Name Pongsakorn |
Last Name Suppakittpaisarn |
Affiliation Chiang Mai University |
Author(s) Information
Author | First Name | Last Name | Affiliation |
1 | Pongsakorn | Suppakittpaisarn | Chiang Mai University |