A bench is just a bench: A spatial justice analysis of older adults’ needs based on municipal hotline data

Population ageing and the expansion of age-friendly cities have increased attention to the built environment, yet small-scale infrastructure remains underexamined. This study frames the equitable distribution of public benches as an issue of spatial justice and investigates how benches may support older adults’ autonomy, mobility, and social connection. We analysed 855 requests concerning benches submitted to municipal call centres in three large Israeli cities and conducted an in-depth thematic analysis of 108 requests that explicitly concerned older adults. Requests frequently identified the immediate area outside the home as a critical location for seating. The findings support a refinement of the Life-Space Mobility framework by conceptualising the home-threshold belt as a link between private and community space. They also indicate that benches may reduce the effort associated with walking and provide opportunities for passive and active social engagement. The absence of seating near homes or along walking routes may restrict life-space mobility. We, therefore, propose bench continuity as a planning principle for age-friendly cities: connected, visible, and appropriately spaced seating that enables older adults to remain present in the public realm.