Spatial Matching Relationship between the Accessibility of Elderly Health and Recreation Facilities and the Distribution of Elderly Population: A Case Study of Sichuan Province

Since the 21st century, population aging has become an important social problem. Improving the spatial system of social elderly care services and rationally allocating elderly care resources have far-reaching significance in coping with the problem of social aging. Most existing studies are limited to physiological nursing and health management of the elderly population, ignoring their spiritual and recreational needs and the rationality of the allocation of relevant service space. Taking Sichuan Province as an example, this study analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of the elderly population using revised World Pop data, used the grid cost distance method to measure the spatial accessibility of elderly health and recreational facilities, and described the degree of spatial matching between the two at the grid scale with the help of the coupled coordination model. Subsequently, the influencing factors and driving mechanisms of the matching relationship were analyzed using a geographical detector; the rationality of the layout of regional elderly health and recreation facilities was also analyzed, providing ideas for exploring and optimizing social old-age care strategies in the new era. The findings suggest that: (1) The spatial layout of the elderly health and recreation facilities in Sichuan Province was still oriented toward the agglomeration of the elderly population, the spatial imbalance of the facilities was prominent, and a considerable proportion of the elderly population was excluded from the scope of the facilities; (2) The overall accessibility of elderly health and recreation facilities in Sichuan Province was poor, and the eastern Sichuan area was superior to the western Sichuan area. From the perspective of coverage of the time circle, the 15-minute life circle could only meet the needs of half of the elderly groups, and the layout of the facilities was still unreasonable; (3) A significant spatial heterogeneity existed between the accessibility of elderly health and recreation facilities and the degree of matching between the elderly population in Sichuan Province. The difference in spatial matching not only existed between eastern and western Sichuan but also generally existed within cities and between urban and rural areas; and (4) The accessibility of elderly health and recreationl facilities and the matching of the elderly population were caused by the comprehensive effects of multiple factors. Among them, moderate gathering of the elderly population, improvement of road network systems, and improvement of natural suitability had significant promoting effects on the improvement of regional matching relationships.