A Study On Inter- Relationship Of Open Space And Social Cohesion For Wellbeing Of Elderly: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Social cohesion in public open spaces has been recommended as one of the key elements for improving the wellbeing of the elderly. Social cohesion includes relational elements and individuals' feeling of association. Over the past few decades, increasing social interaction in the neighbourhood is part of larger urban areas and has been regarded as one of the social sustainability initiatives and plays an important role in megacities sustainability. Comprehending place attachment is necessary to enhance elderly people's interactions to make them self-reliant. The study aims to identify the characteristics of open spaces with their major influential factors for enhancing social cohesion for the well-being of the elderly in an urban residential environment through a systematic literature review. The study focuses on addressing three research questions and analysing its results from primary literature studies in the review process. Ten electronic databases were searched for relevant work from papers written in English between 2011 and 2021. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies were included. A narrative synthesis was carried out of published works to address the research questions after identifying the various characteristics. The review, which includes 57 published papers, found that the Open spaces are ideally characterized by accessibility, walkability, reduced fear and security, built environment characteristics, landscape elements, climate, best practices, and New Urbanism principles. On the other hand, social cohesion is influenced by activities, safety and security, public places, accessibility, natural elements, noise levels, vehicular interruptions, dimensions and geometry, climate, and physical amenities. A conceptual framework relating to open space attributes and social cohesion is proposed as the finding of the research. Prioritizing the attributes based on the physical, behavioural, and psychological needs of the elderly to keep them active in their aging process could be the further scope of research in this direction.

“Creative Placemaking”: A Conceptual Model Fostering Social Cohesion in Community Spaces Within Residential Environments

“…Although the word social cohesion has been defined in a variety of ways, it frequently refers to interpersonal interactions and/or collective activities that may be used to assess one's overall well-being (Cramm & Nieboer, 2015). Social cohesion can also be connected with feelings of trust, belonging, acceptance, and connection (Dash & Thilagam, 2022). These good social constructs have the potential to improve health.…”

Public Spaces for Older People: A Review of the Relationship between Public Space to Quality of Life

“…Person-environment fit theory focuses on the connection between individual traits and the environment, in which the individual not only impacts his or her surroundings, but the environment also influences the individual [33]. While several studies have explored the impact of various environmental factors [34,35], such as indoor environment [36], urban green space [37], and the relationship between open space and social cohesion [38] on older adults, the effect of public spaces on older adults requires further examination. This study aims to investigate the relationship between public spaces and older adults' quality of life and identify gaps in knowledge.…”

Public Spaces for Older People: A Review of the Relationship between Public Space to Quality of Life

“…Person-environment fit theory focuses on the connection between individual traits and the environment, in which the individual not only impacts his or her surroundings, but the environment also influences the individual [33]. While several studies have explored the impact of various environmental factors [34,35], indoor environment [36], Urban Green Space [37], and relationship of open space and social Cohesion [38] on older adults, the effect of public spaces on older adults requires further examination. This study aims to investigate the relationship between public spaces and older adults' quality of life and identify gaps in knowledge.…”