Access to Nature

How Can Nature
Benefit Seniors?

This award-winning program illustrates
a wide variety of ways to make Nature more
accessible and inviting at senior communities.

You can access a wide range of research in aging,
environmental psychology, landscape and architectural
design, to help you make decisions that will improve
the lives of older adults.

This easy-to understand program can be used to plan
outdoor areas and indoor-outdoor connections in
different types of housing and care for seniors.

The Value of Nature
for Older Adults

Access to nature and the outdoors can affect quality of life for older adults, with information on research, health benefits, and interviews with leading experts

7 short videos (28 minutes total)

Improving Outdoor Access
for Older Adults

Photos, sketches, and 3D models to show how building layout can impact outdoor use and provide cost-effective solutions for improving outdoor access

7 short videos (31 minutes total)

Safe & Usable Outdoor Spaces
for Older Adults

The improvement of outdoor features, such as seating, shade, and walkways, are reported by residents to impact their outdoor usage

7 short videos (34 minutes total)

The Access to Nature program has won awards in design, educational, and research categories, including:

Research Honor Award - American Society of Landscape Architects

Environment + Design Award - Center for Excellence in Assisted Living

Active Place Design Competition - Environmental Design Research Association

Viewer's Choice - Harvard School of Public Health

How Can Nature Benefit Seniors?

The Value of Nature for Older Adults

Improving Outdoor Access for Older Adults

Safe & Usable Outdoor Spaces for Older Adults

How Can Nature
Benefit Seniors?

The Value of Nature
for Older Adults

Improving Outdoor Access
for Older Adults

Safe & Usable Outdoor Spaces
for Older Adults