Goric’s Viking swing by Kaiser and Kuehne

“Who wants to go to the playground?”

Most people would hear that question and imagine asking it to a child. But the reality is that it’s a question that should be posed to people from all generations and walks of life.  For the first time in US history older adults are projected to outnumber children by 2034 (United States Census Bureau, 2018).  This trend is one that needs to be considered when designing public spaces.  To investigate the impacts of this change in demographics on public space design the Goric team decided to reach out to an expert in serving an aging population.

Gail Elliot, Gerontologist, Educator, Author & Dementia Specialist and founder of DementiAbility

Introducing Gail Elliot, BASc, MA, a gerontologist and dementia specialist. After a successful career spent working in universities, hospitals, community organizations and long-term care facilities, Gail decided to found DementiAbility, an organization dedicated to implementing research on caring for those with dementia. She noticed dementia research was being done and being published in journals and white papers, but something was missing. No one was making that research relevant to the people who could do something about it.  Consulting with a playground company was the perfect avenue to reversing that trend and putting that research into motion.

Design with Purpose

Goric’s Inclusive Seesaw by Kinderland

Through her research, Gail has found that inter-generational spaces are crucial in supporting the mental, physical, and emotional well-being of people from all generations and walks of life. As part of her educational program, Gail lets people know how important it is to have places to go and gather. Therefore, when designing an inter-generational playground space for people of all ages, it’s crucial to consider the needs of older adults, including those with dementia and other neurocognitive disorders.  Providing a dignified environment that feels familiar and set up for success can offer meaning, purpose, fun, connection, and well-being opportunities.  “When activities add purpose, older adults engage longer and report higher satisfaction levels, fostering a sense of inspiration and motivation. Ho, P. (2020). Understanding Falls in People with Intellectual Disability in Western Australia. https://core.ac.uk/download/481497395.pdf

So, how can we build fun inter-generational spaces with purpose?  When considering such a design, Gail speaks to several research based key elements to focus on.

Creating Dignity

Bell Lyer by Percussion Play

When spaces are designed keeping in mind the needs of everyone visiting the space some shifts need to be made from the traditional aesthetic of a children’s playground.  Choosing more natural tones in favor of bright ones, reducing the number of cartoon illustrations and changing signage so that it is more age-appropriate.  In doing this these spaces become more welcoming and inclusive for all ages and abilities. Gail recommends that those developing inter-generational spaces keep the needs of aging bodies in mind, too–from including non-slip surfaces to enough space to sit down comfortably, which is a key concern for those with aching joints.  All of these considerations help to build a thoughtful space in which all visitors feel welcomed, in turn creating a sense of inclusion and dignity.

Considering Color & Contrast

Award winning Trane All-Abilities Park in Wisconson

When people struggle to understand their world, including people of all ages with neurocognitive deficits, it is helpful to use familiar colors. For instance, walking trails, would be better in tones of brown, gray, green or other earth tones.  Using colors that represent what real walking trails would look like rather than bright or primary colors limits confusion and instills a sense of familiarity.  Contrast is a word that should also guide decision-making. Pathways should contrast with their surroundings, clearly defining areas that are not a walking areas. Contrast is also important for perceiving the depth of objects.  An item placed on the ground should contrast with the surface below it so as to clearly see the separation between the two.  This is an easy way to increase safety and prevent trip hazards.

Understanding Wayfinding

Goric’s Rainbow

Older adults frequently exhibit difficulties in wayfinding, which refers to understanding a space’s layout and how to navigate the space.

Considering how many children are taken to the park by grandparents it is crucial to consider the changes that occur in aging eyes when designing public spaces. Here are some key considerations:

• Use large, clear fonts, such as Arial, without any decorative elements.
• Use capital letters on first words (avoid using all capitals) and use proper words (eg. avoid using slang)
• Ensure that the text contrasts sharply with the background, such as white words on a dark blue background, to enhance readability.
• In a multicultural society, images are a great addition to wayfinding signage, as some people (whether they are young or old) do not speak English and many images are universal. Moreover, many people in our community are illiterate.

Remembering that Public Spaces are for Creating Connections

Babel drum by Percussion Play

An essential part of Gail’s work is to help people overcome the idea of isolation. She confirms that too much alone time is unsuitable for a person’s cognitive and mental state.  A report by the National Institute of Ageing (NIA) found that around 41% of Canadians aged 50 years and older are at risk of social isolation and up to 58% in that age group have experienced loneliness.  In a report published in the journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research loneliness increased the risk of mortality by 14%.

Gail says, “A great deal is written about the benefits of being outdoors. Along with fresh air, the outdoors can improve physical, mental, social, and cognitive well-being”. This understanding of the importance of outdoor activities can significantly improve the quality of life for all ages, especially seniors.  However, the missing link for some older adults might be having a reason to get out, as it can sometimes be intimidating to venture out alone as people age, further illustrating the importance of the role of inter-generational playgrounds.”

Adding Multi-Purpose Spaces & Interactive Activities

Solido table tennis by Mallith

Gail emphasizes the need to create spaces that can be multi-purpose; for example, a section of the playground where someone could hold regular yoga or thai chi classes for adults or spaces that spark conversation like tables where people can face each other.  Games such as corn hole, table tennis, and foosball are great multi-generational and interactive activities that can be added to a design to encourage activity and social connection between all ages.  Gail says, designed correctly inter-generational spaces play a key role in supporting everyone’s minds, bodies and souls and brings communities together combating feelings of isolation.

Including an Accessible Community Garden

Accessible raised garden bed by Kinderland

There has been more emphasis on adding urban green spaces to parks and playgrounds in our communities.  Gail says the addition of a raised garden to a public space is an effort that is “aimed at bringing communities together”. Laura Guscott, President of Goric Playgrounds says, “a community garden is a powerful tool that caters to all ages and abilities, promotes sustainability and encourages engagement in a purposeful activity. Raised garden beds that everyone can access could be used for plant studies, food scarcity issues, building gardening skills and just general social interaction between generations. In times where children have less access to nature and adults are seeking respite in green spaces, garden beds allow for a convenient opportunity to observe and interact with plants, flowers and pollinators.”

Why it matters

Akadinda xylophone by Percussion Play

Gail asks the creators of public spaces to consider “the purpose of life is a life with purpose”, quoting a close friend.  “I think about this often in my work.”  When people feel dignified and proud of what they are doing, who they are, and who they are spending time with…there is an effect that should not be taken lightly: People have a reason to get out of bed every day.  “When you keep that in mind, everything we do, whether getting out in the fresh air to go for a walk, making our hearts healthier, connecting with somebody at the park for social connection, can be tied to going to spaces that have a purpose.”  Understanding this and putting it into practice when creating inclusive inter-generational spaces can significantly improve the quality of life for all ages, especially our aging population.