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Green spaces are good for the health and well-being of people who live in urban areas. A research published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health suggested that elderly people in particular benefit from it.

How Did It Work?

The investigators set out to determine what urban environments and green spaces do for the health and well-being of the older residents. There were 95 volunteers, whose ages were 65 and over who took part in the interviews and completed self-reports about their experience during the study.

For a more accurate measure, eight of the participants wore mobile electroencephalography as they walked between busy urban areas and green spaces. It measured their brain activity during the task.

The researchers from the University of York and the University of Edinburgh found that the participants had positive experiences from the calming green spaces that they had walked through during the activity. They explained that green spaces are good because they provide relief from stress. Variation in the type of areas, memories and meanings associated with these places and opportunities for social interaction could play a role in better health and well-being of senior citizens, they added.

The study is part of Mobile, Mood and Place research in the UK that attempts to bring to light the impact of having green space. Its findings could influence the way cities and communities are designed, EurekAlert reported.

What Were The Discovered Benefits?

Bodies of research provided evidence on the benefits of green spaces. One particular study demonstrated its effects on crime rate and self-esteem.

Vandalism cases were fewer and self-esteem reports were higher when landscaping projects were present in the communities. They were also linked to lower blood pressure and improvement in feelings of fear and anger. It was found to help manage attention deficit disorder (ADD) symptoms in children.

A study showed that the presence of plants in classroom increased the level of attentiveness of students and it helped improve their test scores, according to Project Evergreen.