The Relationship between Outdoor Environment and Recreational Activities of the Elderly Based on Behavioral Mapping

In the context of ageing in China, the residential outdoor environment has become the prominent place of activity for the elderly; outdoor environment quality has become an essential pursuit for improving the quality of life of the elderly; these environments are closely related to the health of the elderly. Community parks provide opportunities for urban residents to participate in physical activities. However, there is a lack of studies on the spatial-behavioural relationship of the physical environment for the elderly. Thus, this study explores community park usage patterns with a particular focus on the level of visitor activity supported by specific landscape features and attributes. This study aims to examine the relationship between different environmental characteristics in the outdoor environment of the old residential area and the activity characteristics of the elderly. The outdoor environment of Beishan Park in Qingdao, China, was selected as the research site, and the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) was used to complete the collection of behavioural mapping data. Through on-site case study observation, three types of activities were recorded: sedentary, moderate, and vigorous. The results showed that sedentary activities of the elderly mostly occur in enclosed spaces, moderate activities are mainly walking, and vigorous activities need more prominent space. The three activities have similar frequencies and are suitable for the different interests of the elderly. Environmental features should include safety, convenience, comfort, territoriality, identifiability, diversity, and ecology. Outdoor spaces with environmental characteristics attract more outdoor activities for the elderly.