Aging-Friendly Recreational Landscapes in Residential Green Spaces: A Systematic Literature Review

1. Introduction

The Report on World Population Trends, released at the 51st meeting of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development, points out that the global population will reach 9.8 billion by 2050, and that the population of older persons over 65 years of age will account for 16 % of the total population. How to cope with aging has become a common global challenge. Across different disciplines, studies have shown that older people are dependent on residential green spaces (Hu, 2021) and that residential green spaces can improve the health and well-being indices of older people (Aerts et al., 2022; Molina-Martínez et al., 2022; Phillips et al., 2010; Su & Zhou, 2022a; Yeo & Heshmati, 2014). As one of the most important spaces in the daily lives of older people, residential green spaces carry the functions of leisure, recreation, and social activities (Verderber et al., 2023). It has been shown that residential green space has a significant effect on microclimate creation (Mei et al., 2022), air pollution (Mohr-Stockinger et al., 2023), noise mitigation (Chen et al., 2021), and physiological and psychological diseases (He et al., 2021). Therefore, constructing age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces is one of the important measures to cope with the social problems of aging.

Aging-friendly recreational landscapes are outdoor areas within residential neighborhoods that are specifically designed for older people and are suitable for their leisure and recreation (Hansen, 2021; Segura Cardona et al., 2022). Spaces are intended to provide comfortable, safe, and convenient open spaces (Van Der Zee, 1990) in which older adults can enjoy spending leisure time and interact socially with other community members (Zhong et al., 2020). Post-COVID-19 older adults are particularly concerned about the health benefits of green spaces (Li et al., 2022; Venter et al., 2021). Residential green space is the form of green space that older people are in direct contact with, and it is a health benefit of outdoor activities for older people. Residential green space has been associated with blood glucose (Yang et al., 2023), blood pressure (Mei et al., 2022), diabetes (Yang et al., 2023), chronic kidney disease (M. Liu et al., 2023), depression (Fastame et al., 2015), and mortality (Villeneuve et al. 2012), etc. have positive correlations. Sound and light in residential green spaces also affect the rest of older people (Mueller et al., 2020). Therefore, age-friendly recreational landscapes should not only be able to meet the basic needs of older adults for activities, socialization, and recreational facilities but should also consider the health benefits of residential green spaces for older adults.

To realize the needs of older adults for friendly and livable living environments, it is necessary to carry out a systematic analysis of the literature related to age-friendly recreational landscapes in existing residential green spaces. This is an important reference value for promoting the development of an age-friendly society in the context of an aging society. As an important group of people who use residential green space for the longest and most frequent period, the needs of older adults for residential green space tend to be somewhat universal. In terms of spatial needs, intergenerational interaction, and older adults wellness needs are the common needs of older adults (Zhong et al., 2020). Therefore, the common spatial needs of residential green space open space for older adults can be summarized as the following six types of space: Fitness activity area, leisure walking area, small communication activity area, children’s recreation area, waterfront viewing area, and non-motorized parking area (Zhou & Liu, 2013). In such landscape spaces, the following features are usually included: Accessibility, rest and shade facilities, health promotion facilities, social interaction spaces, natural elements and aesthetics, diverse activities, and cultural inclusiveness (Hu, 2021).

To have a more comprehensive understanding of the current situation of age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces, the article searched and analyzed the relevant literature in SCOPUS, WOS (web of Science), and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) databases. It was found that this is the first systematic literature review on age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential greenspaces, and most of the existing literature reviews focus on the health benefits of residential greenspaces, such as the association between residential greenspaces and type 2 diabetes mellitus (Yang et al., 2023), and the relationship between residential greenspaces and physiological and psychological health, such as mortality, depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease (Golant, 2020; Lee & Maheswar, 2020; Lee & Maheswar, 2020). 2020; Lee & Maheswaran, 2011; Seo et al.) There is also literature that focuses on the impact of the living environment on the health of older adults, but the content involved encompasses architecture, environmental amenities, and indoor space (Burton et al., 2011). Based on this, this paper uses a systematic literature review approach to target, analyze, summarize, and answer the following questions:

What is the current state of research on aging-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces?

What are older people’s preferences for aging-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces?

What are the main theories involved in aging-friendly recreational landscapes?

What are the main research methods adopted by existing studies on aging-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces?

2. Research Design

2.1. Research Methodology

In this paper, a systematic literature review method was used to conduct the study. This method uses clear and reproducible search techniques and strategies to assess relevant literature (Xiao & Watson, 2019). Afterward, the literature is screened and selected based on predetermined criteria to gain an accurate understanding of the current status and trends of the research topic to address the specific research question (Torres-Carrion et al., 2018). The systematic literature review approach is rigorous and transparent. It covers a clear research question, a comprehensive search strategy, clear literature criteria, high-quality assessment methods, comprehensive data analysis, and reliable findings. Compared to traditional research methods, the review method can overcome problems such as subjectivity and bias (Zabelskyte et al., 2022).

2.2. Sample Acquisition

2.2.1. Literature Search Strategy

To understand the research on aging-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces, and to propose future research trends in this direction in China by comparative analysis. In this paper, three databases, namely SCOPUS, WOS, and CNKI, were selected for searching. To have a more in-depth understanding of the existing theoretical content of this direction and the research results of the previous researchers, the literature search only set the deadline as 30 June 2023. The search formula of the SCOPUS database is: (TITLE-ABS-KEY (“residential green space” OR “group green space” OR “ residential landscape” OR “residential environment”) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY(“age*” OR aging* OR older adults) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY(“recreation* landscape” OR health* OR well* OR Leisure* OR Entertain*)). The WOS database search formula is TS= (“residential green space” OR “group green space” OR “residential landscape” OR “ residential environment”) AND TS=(“age*” OR aging* OR older adults ) AND TS=(“recreation* landscape” OR health* OR well* OR Leisure* OR Entertain*). CNKI The database search equation is: (SU % ‘residential green space’ OR SU % ‘group green space’ OR SU % ‘residential landscape’ OR SU % ‘residential environment’) AND (SU % ‘age*’ OR SU % ‘aging*’ OR SU % ‘older adults’) AND (SU % ‘recreation* landscape’ OR SU % ‘health*’ OR SU % ‘well*’ OR SU % ‘Leisure*’ OR SU % ‘Entertain*’).

2.2.2. Literature Screening Criteria

The study follows the research idea of a systematic literature review and meta-analysis method, which contains 27 indicators and 4 stages, and each stage needs to present the process and reasons for literature identification, screening, inclusion, or exclusion (Xiao & Watson, 2019). To ensure the quality of the literature and accuracy and reliability of the literature, only core journal articles were selected for the CNKI database, only journal articles in English were selected for SCOPUS and WOS database literature, and only core ensembles were selected for the WOS database. After the screening, SCOPUS retrieved 511 articles, the WOS database retrieved 576 documents, and the CNKI database retrieved 420 documents, totaling 1507 articles. After placing the literature in an Excel sheet for de-duplication, the title and abstract of each article were read and screened. After determining that the title and abstract were related to the topic, the articles were read through, and 52 articles were identified as consistent with the study in this paper, and 3 articles related to this study were screened from the references in the relevant literature, for a total of 55 articles included in this analysis. Figure 1 shows the process of literature-specific screening.

2.2.3. Literature Coding

To understand the literature time, country, research methodology, and research theory. In this paper, the relevant literature searched is subdivided to determine the details of each article and code. The coding method is as follows: SCOPUS database is represented by the initial letter S, and the serial number of the article is J01, according to the chronological order of publication of the article from SJ01 in this coding order. Similarly, the WOS database is coded as WJ01, and the CNKI database is coded as CJ01, according to the chronological order of publication of the article. The specific codes and contents are shown in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.

3. Results

3.1. Characteristics of Literature Distribution

The distribution of literature reflects the research intensity and importance of a country in a particular research direction and also reflects the degree of aging in the country and the response measures from the perspective of residential green space. In this paper, the first author is taken as the unit of analysis in the data statistics, and 41 articles in SCOPUS and WOS databases are analyzed, it is found that the authors are from 15 countries in total, and the regional distribution is shown in Table 4. In terms of the number of authors, 15 articles were published in China, 5 in the U.S.A, 3 in Belgium, and 3 in Australia, and 14 articles related to this topic were retrieved from the CNKI database, i.e., the three databases showed a total of 29 articles in Chinese literature. In terms of regional distribution, Chinese scholars have paid much attention to the issue of aging, and according to China’s seventh population census, 13.5% of China’s population is over 65 years old. China’s National Health and Wellness Commission predicts that by 2030, China’s older adult population aged 65 and above will increase to about 340 million, by which time the proportion of the older adult population will be close to 25%, and it will enter a super-aging society. Nowadays, China’s aging problem and countermeasures are the focus of much attention in society.

3.2. Distribution of Subject Areas

From the literature review, most of the literature was not labeled with the author’s specific research direction, and most of the articles were only labeled with the author’s unit. The author examined the articles one by one through the information in the literature, such as research content, research conclusions, research methodology, applied theories, and author units, to determine the disciplinary field in which the literature is located. The analysis found that the research in this direction involves disciplines such as public health, medicine, psychology, sociology, landscape architecture, computer science, etc. In particular, there are more researchers in the direction of public health and medicine, which pay more attention to the health benefits of residential green space for the older adults. As can be seen from Table 5, the main disciplines involved in international literature are public health, psychology, sociology, and geography. The Chinese literature mainly focuses on the direction of landscape architecture. The data show that international research focuses on interdisciplinary integration, proposing the correlation between residential green space and the physical and mental health of the older adults from different disciplinary perspectives. The scientific basis is presented from an empirical point of view, offering the possibility of age-friendly recreational landscapes. From the CNKI database literature, China is the relatively single discipline in this research direction, mainly from the perspective of landscape architecture to put forward construction strategies, methods, principles, and responses to the aging problem in specific regions, empirical is not very strong, most of them are based on theoretical thinking (Chen et al., 2021).

3.3. Temporal Distribution

The temporal distribution of research in the existing literature represents the development history and trend of the research field. It can show the changes in research focus, hotspots, and trends in the field in different periods. Figure 2 shows the temporal distribution of related literature, and the line graph shows the rapid increase of literature in this direction in 2020. During COVID-19, residential green space is the form of green space that people are in direct contact with, and empirical and theoretical research on the impact of residential green space on health has been emphasized (Venter et al., 2021), and the topic of health has received unprecedented attention. In addition, the social status of global aging and the cultural context of aging in place (Chen et al., 2022) are also important reasons for the researchers’ turn toward the study of age-friendly open spaces in residential green spaces.

3.4. Analysis of Research Methodology

Research methodology can ensure the credibility, scientificity, and non-replicability of research results (Mohajan, 2018). Reasonable research methods can help researchers avoid subjective bias, design rigorous research steps, reduce the influence of subjective factors on research results, and ensure the objectivity and fairness of research conclusions. Different research methods can explain problems from different perspectives and promote academic communication and theoretical progress (Fletcher, 2017). As can be seen from Table 6 and Figure 3 the existing residential green space aging-friendly recreational landscape is mostly carried out by quantitative research, accounting for 58%. Quantitative research is dominated by research questionnaires, with 51% of research in the form of questionnaires. Qualitative research is mostly based on theoretical studies and literature reviews, which accounted for 18%. Interviews are also an important method for qualitative research, accounting for 4%. Interviews are mostly conducted in the form of semi-structured interviews, telephone interviews, and group interviews. Research on the comfort of residential green space often generates data by software simulation, using the software Autodesk Ecotect Analysis, Dethmap, Ecotect, and phonics for the simulation of microclimate, such as sunshine, wind, and light (Li et al.). A comfortable environment creation method based on local climate is proposed using software simulation.

3.5. Analysis of Relevant Theories

Research on aging-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces involves several subject areas. As can be seen from Table 7, the main theories involved in the existing related literature are demand theory, environmental psychology theory, ecology theory, health promotion theory, etc. The needs theory of older adults focuses on the physiological, psychological, and social needs of older adults and explores the satisfaction and well-being that older adults seek in recreational activities (Krols et al., 2022; Padeiro et al., 2022; Su & Zhou, 2022b; Tan & Lee, 2022). Based on this theory, researchers can understand the needs and preferences of older adults for recreational landscapes and provide a reference for optimizing the design of recreational landscapes. Environmental psychology focuses on the interaction between humans and the environment, which can help researchers understand the perception, cognition, and emotional experience of older adults toward the environment, and enhance the recreational experience of older adults (Liu et al., 2022; Su & Zhou, 2022b). Ecosystem services theory emphasizes the value and role of natural environments to humans and can be used to explore the ecopsychological benefits of green spaces for older people, such as the positive effects of natural green spaces on psychological relaxation and physical and mental health of older people (Segura Cardona et al., 2022; Taylor et al., 2022). Health promotion theory, which focuses on the enhancement of health and quality of life, can be used to assess the positive effects of green space recreation on the health of older adults by exploring their physical and mental health in recreational landscapes (Zhong et al., 2020; Wang & Yang, 2020; Shu & Yin, 2020). Literature has thoroughly studied the recreational needs and recreational experiences of older adults from different disciplinary perspectives, providing a scientific basis for optimizing age-friendly open space landscapes.

3.6. Analysis of Impact Factors

Through a comprehensive reading of the relevant literature, this paper is categorized according to the main concerns of the literature. As shown in Table 8, the concerns of age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces are mainly classified into four major categories: green space planning and design, community participation, sensory environment, and residential area management. Firstly, in terms of green space planning and design, the primary concern of research is the area of green space, and most of the related articles focus on the direction of public health, research has concluded that green space is positively correlated with the physiological and psychological health of the older adults (Hautekiet et al., 2020; He et al., 2021; Noordzij et al., 2020). Secondly, the study focuses on the walking environment and recreational facilities in green spaces (S. Zhong et al., 2020), as most older people choose leisure walking as a way of exercising their bodies, and have a high demand for slow walking systems in residential green spaces. As older people’s bodies gradually age, their health awareness increases, placing higher demands on the completeness and accessibility of recreational facilities in residential green spaces (Burton et al., 2011; Noordzij et al., 2020; Vogt et al., 2015). Finally, the multifunctionality of residential green spaces is also a key concern, with multifunctional green spaces favoring more possibilities for recreational activities for older people, thus increasing their opportunities for social interaction (Fastame et al., 2015; Žalik & Zalar, n.d.). In terms of community participation, gardening activities, and neighborhood social environments have been identified as ways in which older people can effectively participate in society (Yin et al., 2007; Shu & Yin, 2020). Neighborhood environments are conducive to community cohesion (Lu et al., 2021; Zhang & Zhang, 2017), are a safeguard for community interactions, and have a positive impact on older people’s emotional and psychological well-being. In terms of sensory environments, although not easily measured, it has been shown that sensory environments influence older adults’ propensity to make environmental choices. Comfortable natural environments have a rehabilitative effect on the senses of older people (Zhong et al., 2021; Wu, 2010). The above findings provide useful references and guidance for the planning and design of age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces in the future.

3.6. Aging-Friendly Recreational Landscapes

Analysis of the existing literature shows that age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces are influenced by socio-demographics, attributes of established residential green spaces, social participation, environmental perception, and community management (Bauwelinck et al., 2021; Golant, 2020; Roberts & Helbich, 2021; Taylor et al. 2022). Research addressing satisfaction with age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces can be examined from these five perspectives (Phillips et al., 2010; Ta et al., 2021). Individual attributes such as socio-demographics have a greater impact on satisfaction, for example, in terms of age, older people are more likely to be affected by neighborhood stressors such as poor living conditions, poor accessibility, and insecurity, and will vary in their satisfaction with the environment (Hill & Maimon, 2013). Indicators related to built-up residential green space are strongly associated with the health of residents, with green space area positively correlated with mortality (Bauwelinck et al., 2021; Taylor et al., 2022), and green space correlated with physical and mental illnesses such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression (Astell-Burt et al., 2022; Hautekiet et al., 2020; Jin et al., 2021), and walking environment, green space accessibility, and ease of transport affect residents’ perception of residential green space use (Liu et al., 2017; Yeo & Heshmati, 2014). Neighborhood environment, horticultural activities, and intergenerational interactions (Zhong et al., 2020) are important neighborhood interactions that are effective ways for residents to engage in the use of residential green space. The climatic environment in which the residential green space is located and the microclimate environment formed by the residential green space have an impact on influencing spatial comfort (Harlan et al., 2006; Vanos, 2015). In summary, the theoretical framework of age-friendly recreational landscapes suitable for residential green spaces is shown in Figure 4.

4. Focus of Future Research on Aging-Friendly Recreational Landscapes in China’s Residential Green Spaces

By comparing the differences in research methods, findings, and concerns between international and Chinese literature, it can be found that China is gradually establishing theory-based principles, methods, and strategies in the study of age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces. However, the empirical studies in the relevant literature are relatively limited, and most of the existing empirical studies focus on specific regions in China and lack general applicability. In addition, the distribution of disciplines in Chinese literature mainly focuses on the discipline of landscape architecture, which is relatively homogeneous, and the theoretical basis of the research is mainly dominated by the theory of the needs of older adults and the theory of health promotion. Based on the above problems, it is proposed that China should focus on the following four aspects in future research on age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces.

4.1. Multidisciplinary

Focus on multidisciplinary cross-collaboration. Integrate the theories and methods of sociology, psychology, public health, and other disciplines to explore the complexity and diversity of the leisure behavior of older adults. Landscape architecture is the core discipline in the study of age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces, and age-friendly green space design and planning can be carried out based on the research results of other disciplines, focusing on shaping the space from the perspective of the user’s psychology and planning rehabilitative nodes from the perspective of health promotion. Neighborhood environments affect the social participation of older people, and methods for creating good neighborhood social environments can be studied from a sociological perspective. Sociological methods can collect older people’s perceptions and experiences of residential green space recreational landscapes. Psychological questionnaires and experimental designs can be used to assess the well-being and life satisfaction of older people, and public health surveys and statistical methods can help to understand the health status of older people. Human geography can examine the spatial behaviors and activity patterns of older people in residential green spaces and study their preferences and spatial needs for the use of green spaces. The spatial analysis methods of human geography can help optimize the spatial layout of green spaces. Cultural studies can study the impact of the cultural values of the older adults on residential green space recreation and gain a deeper understanding of the cultural needs of the older adults. All of the above disciplinary directions are covered in the international literature, which provides a research reference for future interdisciplinary cooperation.

4.2. Expanding the Scope of Empirical Research

Strengthen the empirical research to cover a wider geographical area and different types of residential green spaces. Expand the research sample to cover residential green spaces in different areas. Conduct surveys in different cities, villages, and other regions to obtain more comprehensive research results. This will enable us to understand the differences in the demand for residential green space recreational landscaping by older people in different geographical areas and provide more universal conclusions. Not only focusing on community residents, the recreational experience of older adults in different residential environments such as nursing homes and homes for the aged should also be examined. At the same time, it can include older people of different age groups, as well as those with different lifestyles and health conditions, to better reflect the diversity of the older adult population. Conduct long-term follow-up studies for specific areas to continuously observe the recreational behavior and experience of older people in residential green spaces. Through long-term data collection, it is possible to understand the changes and trends in older people’s recreational behavior and the long-term impact of residential green spaces. Promote multi-disciplinary cooperation, including cooperation among academics, government departments, and social organizations. The government can provide data support and policy background, social organizations can provide field resources, and academics can provide research methodology and theoretical support to jointly promote the in-depth development of empirical research.

4.3. Strengthening Theoretical Construction

Expand the theoretical basis of the study and build a more comprehensive research framework by combining factors such as social participation and cultural values of older adults. Theoretical perspectives from other subject areas, such as cognitive psychology and environmental psychology, can be introduced to explore the cognitive and emotional responses of older people’s recreational experiences in residential green spaces. This can enrich the research from a new perspective. Conduct an in-depth qualitative study to conduct in-depth interviews for different roles, such as policymakers, researchers, designers, users, etc., to understand older people’s perceptions of and needs for recreational landscapes in residential green spaces. Through in-depth qualitative research, more detailed data can be obtained to enrich theory building. Empirical research is strengthened to collect a large amount of data through questionnaires and field observations to verify and support theoretical assumptions. Empirical research can make theory-building more scientific and credible.

4.4. Focus on Sustainable Development

The concept of sustainable development should be incorporated into the research to explore the eco-friendliness of age-friendly recreational landscapes and the sustainable use of resources. Research should focus on the impact of age-friendly recreational landscapes on the ecological environment, emphasizing green space protection, ecological restoration, and biodiversity conservation (Mohr-Stockinger et al., 2023). Optimizing the layout and use of green spaces improves the efficiency of resource use and reduces energy consumption and resource waste. Age-friendly recreational landscapes should provide equal opportunities for all older people to participate, and at the same time should take into account the needs of different groups, improve social inclusiveness, and realize age-friendly all-consuming landscapes. The study should focus on community participation, encouraging older people and community residents to participate in green space planning, design, and management to form a shared situation and provide opportunities for neighborhood social environment creation. Community participation can enhance older people’s sense of belonging to and responsibility for green spaces (Phillips et al., 2010) and improve the sustainability of green spaces.

5. Limitations of the Study

This paper is mainly based on three databases: SCOPUS, WOS, and CNKI for literature search and screening, the database coverage is not comprehensive enough, and there may be some omissions in the literature. In the process of downloading and reading the literature, it was found that the SCOPUS and WOS databases have restricted access to certain literature, which may lead to the omission of relevant research ideas and affect the comprehensiveness and representativeness of the review. The literature search in SCOPUS and WOS databases mainly focuses on English literature, and some important non-English literature may be overlooked, which affects the international perspective and cross-cultural comparison of the review. In the process of selecting the literature and the accuracy of the literature, there may be some bias, which tends to select the literature that is consistent with one’s research problem, ignoring other views or opposing research results. For some of the articles with shorter literature, which were not included in this literature screening, some innovative ideas may have been missed. Finally, as the study is based on the analysis of the results of existing literature, it cannot cover the development and latest results of subsequent research, and there is a certain degree of timeliness in the compilation of content and viewpoints (Xiao & Watson, 2019).

6. Summary

In the context of global aging, research on age-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces has received much attention in recent years. In terms of the distribution at the time of publication, the amount of literature in the last five years exceeds the total amount of all previous literature, reflecting the increased attention to the quality of life of older adults in the context of an aging society. From the distribution of disciplines, this research field is characterized by multidisciplinary cooperation, cross-cultural comparison, and sustainable development. In terms of research methodology, it covers field surveys, questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and document analyses. International research focuses on empirical research, mostly in the form of questionnaires and interviews. Chinese research in this direction is weakly interdisciplinary, favoring theoretical research and lacking empirical research that integrates multiple theories. Literature focuses on four main aspects: green space planning and design, social participation, sensory environment, and residential management. Green space planning and design elements are the key factors affecting age-friendly recreational landscapes, which involve a wide range of elements, among which green space area, walking environment, multifunctionality, and recreational and health facilities are the important influencing variables (Astell-Burt et al., 2022; Burton et al., 2011; Duffy & Willson, 1985; Guo et al. 2019; Molina-Martínez et al., 2022). Research has shown that there is a significant association between neighborhood social environments on older people’s self-perception of aging (Zhang & Zhang, 2017), which affects older people’s social participation. Therefore, the above important factors should be fully considered in the study of aging-friendly recreational landscapes in residential green spaces to meet the satisfaction of older adults with residential green spaces. After comparing the focus of Chinese literature and international literature, we propose that future research in China in the direction of age-friendly recreational landscapes should focus on four aspects: multidisciplinary intersections, expanding the scope of empirical research, strengthening theoretical assumptions, and focusing on sustainable development.