A Biophilic Therapeutic Framework for Ageing Well in Care Settings

Access to nature is fundamental to human health and wellbeing, yet opportunities for direct and frequent engagement with natural environments are often restricted for individuals in the 80+ age category, particularly those in care settings or living in remote locations. There is therefore an urgent need to enhance nature connections in care settings and provide personalised, restorative experiences that reflect individuals preferred natural features. This prefeasibility pilot study developed a framework to inform the design of therapeutic care settings, grounded in the principles of biophilic neuroarchitecture and designed to support ageing well. Conducted over six months in two care environments, the study applied the biophilic pattern of Complexity and Order to simulate Natural Analogues within immersive virtual settings. Mixed methods combining wearable sensor data and self-reported wellbeing measures were used to assess psychophysiological, emotional, and cognitive responses among participants aged 80 and above. Findings revealed that VR content aligned with individual nature preferences elicited higher levels of engagement, relaxation, and positive affect. This study demonstrates the potential for implementing biophilic design applications to develop therapeutic care settings which promote wellbeing and healthy ageing, particularly where access to real nature is infrequent or limited.