September is Healthy Aging Month. Almost 17% of our nation's population is aged
65 and older which is expected to reach 22% by 2040. It is of utmost importance for us to improve the health of our seniors, while underscoring their environmental justice inequities.
Many studies have examined the health benefits of greenspace for the elderly. A large
research study recently published demonstrated the association of natural environments with hospital admissions for Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD), and Parkinson disease (PD). Researchers analyzed first hospitalizations with one of these diagnoses against zip code with regards to greenness, park cover and blue space cover. In evaluating over 61 million medicare beneficiaries (most women and white), they found that greater zip code greenness , but not park or blue space cover, was associated with fewer hospitalizations for ADRD. All of the outdoor conditions, however, were associated with a decrease in PD.
Another study of interest was conducted by
Kim et al, who investigated the association between 20-year exposure to greenness and epigenetic aging in a large, biracial urban cohort. They found that greater greenness was associated with slower epigenetic aging. Black participants had less surrounding greenness than white participants and an attenuated association between greenness and epigenetic aging but those from disadvantaged neighborhoods had a stronger association. Black participants might have fewer opportunities for access to greenness that could result in less improvement in epigenetic aging. This implies that using an environmental justice and health equity lens to urban strategies for greenness expansion could positively impact racial health disparities.
Dennis et al evaluated associations between green infrastructure and chronic morbidity. They found that elderly who lived in areas with greater land-cover diversity, informal greenery and patch size in high income areas were healthier, compared to those who lived in proximity to public parks and recreation land in low-income areas.
A study conducted by
Khaledi et al in those isolated in Iran during the pandemic found that personal green spaces (they measured # of indoor houseplants, window view, and balcony or garden with flowers or tree cover) reduced depression and anxiety levels of apartment residents. This would be a potentially important factor in the elderly who may be housebound or have limited ability to spend regular time outdoors.
Multiple other studies have found an association between greenness and physical and mental health, such as one conducted by
Liao and Du, who analyzed a longitudinal survey in multiple communities in China, and found that those who lived in cities with greater and higher variety of vegetation had improved sense of self-rated health status, hospitalization, reporting symptoms of physical discomfort and being lost in a bad mood. This effect was more significant for the middle-aged, elderly and low-educated.
