Opportunities for different sectors of society to promote nature experiences for older people
Kristin Godtman Kling and Magnus Zingmark have continued their collaboration with municipalities, the voluntary sector and private companies to learn more about how different sectors and businesses can work with outdoor activities aimed at older adults. Now their study Active and Healthy Aging: the Role of Public, Private and Voluntary Sectors in Providing Outdoor Recreation for Older Adults has been published in the international Journal of Population Ageing.
The results of the study show that the public, private and non-profit sectors can contribute in various ways to promoting outdoor activities and outdoor life for older people.
"We have seen that there is a great deal of commitment in both municipal meeting places and pensioners' associations, but that the activities are often either too simple or too physically demanding – which risks excluding certain groups. In addition, the private sector, such as nature tourism companies, shows some interest in developing nature-based services for the elderly, but experiences uncertainty about what the demand and willingness to pay looks like among the target group", says Kristin Godtman Kling.
The study also shows that lack of transport in public activities is a major obstacle for many older people to take part in nature experiences, which is perceived as frustrating among staff. This is an example of why the results emphasize the importance of collaboration between sectors to create a more accessible and varied range of activities. Through better coordination, adaptation to different levels of function and investments in transport solutions, more older people can have the opportunity to have meaningful nature experiences that strengthen both health and participation in society.