Relationship between Residential Landscape and Elderly Health

What is it about?

The landscape of residential is closely related to the physical and mental health of the elderly. With the increasingly aging society, how to build a healthy living environment for the elderly is one of the important issues that need to be studied. Using scientific metrology tools such as CiteSpace to conduct knowledge map analysis on relevant literature, the research trends of the relationship between residential landscape and the health of the elderly were systematically summarized. The results showed as follows: 1) The number of domestic and foreign studies has been increased significant during the past 10 years. The research areas are mainly distributed in the fields of public health and geriatrics in foreign countries, while the domestic is mainly in the fields of architecture science and sports;2)Residential landscape factors and their mechanisms that affect the health of the elderly have been the research hot spot in both domestic and abroad. In terms of landscape elements of residential, most of studies focused on green space, water body and sensory environment, while in mechanism focused on physical activity, autonomous needs and social cohesion.3) The existing research mainly uses the subjective and objective measurement methods such as questionnaire, health benefit scale, objective measured environment and physiological indicators measurement. The trend is gradually shifting from the qualitative approach to the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The current study would provide evidence for future research and practice of age-health residential landscape.

Featured Image

Photo by Joyce Romero on Unsplash

Photo by Joyce Romero on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This article, titled “Review on the Research of the Relationship between Residential Landscape and Elderly Health”, offers a timely and valuable synthesis of global studies exploring how the design of residential landscapes—notably green space, water elements, and sensory environments—affects the physical, mental, and social well-being of older adults . Here’s why it's important: 1. Societal Relevance With aging populations worldwide, understanding how built environments contribute to “aging in place” is critical. The review underscores this by documenting a surge in related research over the past decade . 2. Holistic Framework It organizes findings across two key dimensions: Landscape elements: greenery, water bodies, sensory richness. Mechanisms of impact: physical activity, autonomy, social cohesion. This structure helps practitioners (e.g., urban planners, architects) pinpoint actionable design features . 3. Methodological Clarity and Trend The paper highlights the shift from qualitative to mixed (quantitative + qualitative) methods—employing tools like CiteSpace and VOSviewer along with health scales and physiological measures . This trend signals increasing rigor, enabling more evidence-based interventions. 4. Application & Future Direction The study offers a knowledge base supporting the design of age‑friendly environments—like accessible parks, sensory-friendly pathways, and communal outdoor spaces—across both global and local (especially Chinese) contexts. 5. Cross‑disciplinary Bridge It bridges public health, geriatrics, landscape architecture, and environmental science—identifying hotspots that encourage targeted, multidisciplinary research. In Summary It fills a major gap by consolidating diverse findings into a coherent framework, offering both academic insights and practical implications. Its structured overview and methodological insights equip stakeholders to design healthier, more inclusive residential landscapes for the elderly.