OUTDOOR GYM PLANNING
How to Design a Functional Park for Seniors
Seven Tips for Planning a Senior Park
Senior park, senior fitness site or senior citizen playgrounds? We prefer the term senior park as it encompasses all the activities surrounding a functional park for seniors. Several aspects exist when designing a senior park because it is not just about fitness and staying fit through exercising. A senior park has to offer multi-purpose activities such as social activities and recreational purposes.
Here are seven tips to consider when building and planning a park for senior citizens:
User-involvement
Community Feel
Accessibility
Type of Equipment
Safety First
Consult the professionals
Budget
Senior park planning involves several aspects when outlining the design. Before the design process, the parties decide upon user involvement, the park's surroundings, equipment type, safety and professional consultation. The best starting point when building a senior park is ensuring you appeal to all types of seniors in your community.
Tip 1
User-Involvement
Seniors are a diverse group of people with different needs or age-related issues. Some elderly may want to be part of a community with peers, others need to stay fit or use equipment for rehabilitation purposes, and some seniors need a bench in the shade to enjoy the view or observe everyday life. Make sure to engage your community and residents in the area in your project before the design process to include their wants and needs.
Tip 2: Community Feel
Motivating seniors to leave their houses and experience the outdoors in the fresh air has many benefits. The overall idea of designing a park for older adults is to cater to wellbeing, encouraging a sense of community and spending time together. Not just to stay fit, exercise, or for rehabilitative purposes but also to interact and engage with peers in the outdoors. The benefits of a shared community and a sense of belonging can prevent loneliness and isolation.
Tip 3: Accessibility
Remember that seniors with mobility challenges often arrive with walkers, walking cane or even a wheelchair, which is why even ground surfaces and wide routes or ramps to and from the parking area are essential. Ramps should be with a reasonable gradient. Easy access to your senior park is vital, and for extra comfort, make sure to have benches placed along the way, enabling rest when needed. Also, bear in mind that older people may bring their families to the park and designing your space to include activities for multiple generations enables quality time for the entire family. Site amenities like tables and benches will increase the duration of the time spent in your park as visitors can bring and enjoy a picnic.
Tip 4
Type of Equipment
At KOMPAN, we have designed a range of equipment targeting seniors based on facilitating the training of fundamental skills like walking on uneven surfaces or navigating steps and stairs. Often, a downward spiral begins through inactivity or even due to the most minor physical mishaps. Trips and falls are among the most frequent triggers for injuries. It is universally accepted that three-quarters of fatal and non-fatal accidents involving older people are caused by slipping or stumbling. Prevention is better than cure, but the equipment is also a valuable means of rehabilitation in case of a mishap.
Tip 5: Safety
The equipment must be carefully considered, easy to use, have clear instructions, and, most of all, be safe. High-quality equipment is imperative to avoid any injuries. Keeping the area tidy and clean can also make the park safe and prevent fall injuries. Good lighting in the park will also make the area feel safer and more welcoming, especially for those with conditions that affect their eyesight. Shaded areas are a must. Seniors must stay cool and out of the sun to prevent dehydration, especially during warm weather. Toilets and drinking water close to the chosen location will also increase the number of people visiting the park.
Tip 6: Consult the Professionals
We always recommend consulting with healthcare professionals familiar with working with older adults, such as fitness instructors, nurses, physiotherapists, or physicians, as they can help choose the right equipment for the seniors in your community.
Our team of fitness experts also have vast experience with building and designing functional senior parks, and they are here to ensure that you get the most out of your project when it comes to designing and working with your budget.
Tip 7: Budget
Budget is always a significant factor when considering a senior park plan. To ensure you get the most out of your budget, we recommend consulting with our teams of experts, as they know how you keep your project within the budget frame.
While the equipment takes up around half of your budget, the rest is allocated to services related to building the senior, landscaping, installation costs, and shipping. We also ensure that all safety criteria meet your local rules and regulations.
The Health Benefits of Senior Parks
There are many health benefits of senior parks. Increased age means physiological changes and decreased physical performance. Still, much of this is attributed to decreased physical activity levels and can be prevented or reduced by regular exercise. Not only does exercise build muscle strength, but it also prevents age-related problems such as reduced cardiometabolic health, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Social and emotional factors of outdoor exercise in a senior park also play a big part in motivating older adults and increasing their quality of life.
Check out our fitness planning page to learn more about how to build an outdoor gym.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should seniors lift heavy or light weights?
Lifting weights is a great way to build muscle strength, but when you're over 50, there is no reason to push yourself too hard. Try a slightly lighter weight with which you can safely do 10 to 12 reps.
What type of training is best for seniors
The best exercise for preventing most lifestyle diseases combines cardio training, strength training, and increased physical activity levels. Weight-bearing exercise, in particular, helps to keep bones healthy and strong. Heart and lungs – moderate intensity exercise is most favourable: for example, exercising at about 70% of the individual's maximum heart rate (220 beats per minute minus your age).
What type of equipment is best for senior parks?
We recommend exercise equipment for seniors from our Stay Fit range. The Up & Go may seem simplistic in the extreme, with a seat, a guide rail and a post to walk around, yet it mimics some of the most important movements. You can gauge your fitness level by timing how many you can do. Similarly, the Stairs and ramp, Double Stairs, and Balance Board help simulate the most common activities encountered during a typical day out and about.
Got questions about how to plan a functional senior park?
Please fill in your contact details and we will get back to you as soon as possible.