Living close to nature: how older adults in Sweden navigate relocation in later life

Spending time in nature has many benefits for older individuals’ health and well-being. When individuals age, their activity spaces typically become more geographically limited to the proximity of their homes. Having nature close by is therefore important for them to be able to maintain their habits of spending time in nature. In this study, we use a mixed-methods design, including a survey and interviews, to examine the level of importance older individuals living in Sweden place on closeness to nature in their moving decisions. The results show that closeness to nature is greatly appreciated by many respondents, especially those who currently have access to nature close to their homes, visit nature frequently and most often use an active form of travel to get there. The level of importance given to nature generally remains high even when constraints and challenges emerge, for instance health-related issues and widowhood. However, different constraints can limit the choice of housing and, consequently, the type of natural area close to one’s home can change. The results indicate that it is important to recognise older individuals as a heterogeneous group and to provide opportunities for them to live close to nature, regardless of whether they wish to age in place (in a rural or urban setting) or move to improve access to other amenities.