Understanding older adults’ restorative experiences: a comparison of three qualitative methods

Current theories of psychological restoration predominantly rely on quantitative studies involving university students, raising concerns about their applicability to other groups, such as older adults. Older adults are more susceptible to environmental stressors and attention fatigue, which can negatively impact their mental health. Quantitative methods, like heart rate measurements or attention tasks, are often less effective for this group. Therefore, it is valuable to explore the use of qualitative methods as they have the potential to deepen our understanding of the restorative experiences of this underrepresented group, <br/>enabling the identification of new interconnections and broadening the conventional theoretical narrative. To study which qualitative methods are best suited to understanding older adults' restorative experiences, we conducted three studies using different qualitative methods: a) building their favourite restorative environment with Lego (N=27), b) evaluating VR environments (N=15), and c) choosing and discussing their favourite restorative environment using Google Street View (N=40). The Lego task was <br/>challenging for many participants due to limited motor skills, yielding limited results. However, the two other methods successfully provided valuable insights into the relationship between restorative environments' spatial characteristics and older adults' emotions, memories and experiences. Remarkably, the presence of others positively influenced older adults' restorative experiences, a finding contrary to existing literature on younger adults. In conclusion, two of the three qualitative methods proved valuable <br/>for studying restorative experiences. Results expanded beyond conventional theoretical narratives, offering a broader understanding of the restorative experiences of older adults and highlighting the importance of qualitative approaches in this field.