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Urban green spaces enhance the well-being of the elderly (Wolch et al., 2014). Green spaces provide recreation, exercise, and social interaction, improving their quality of life. However, this group is more vulnerable to disparities in green space distribution and accessibility (Aliyas, 2019). This study focuses on including urban green spaces for the elderly, referring to their ability to access, use, and enjoy green spaces and related facilities, benefiting from them equitably. We examine the supply-demand dynamics of green space use among them and propose optimization strategies. Green space inclusion ensures that mobility-limited individuals in the aged group equitably access and benefit from green spaces (Guo et al., 2019). To this end, we choose Wuhan‘s core area as a case study, where 17.23% of the population in 2023 belonged to the aged group, demonstrating significant demand for green spaces. Wuhan has prioritized green space enhancement with elderly-focused urban planning policies.
On this basis, we examine the “supply-demand” relationships. 'Supply' refers to the green space resources available within the community, encompassing their quantity, spatial distribution, and accessibility. 'Demand' represents the actual needs of the elderly for green spaces, primarily determined by acceptable walking distances, the functionality of green spaces, and their capacity to meet social and recreational needs. When demand exceeds supply, the elderly may face significant difficulties in accessing green spaces. This imbalance exacerbates the inequitable spatial distribution of the green space and undermines the inclusion for the elderly. Therefore, this study goes beyond evaluating the supply-demand relationships and emphasize optimizing green space resource allocation to achieve a better match between supply and demand, ultimately enhancing the inclusion of green space access for the elderly.
On this basis, the study takes the community as a starting point and examines the connection between the demand at these points and the supply of green spaces in the district. Firstly, the supply of green spaces is assessed by calculating greenness distribution by selective indicators, including green space coverage, resource service capacity, and walking accessibility, to quantify the level of green space supply at the community scale. Secondly, the intensity of green space demand is evaluated based on the elderly population density within the community and green space accessibility, with accessibility derived from the analysis of geographic data such as NDVI and POI. Finally, GIS tools are employed to calculate the green space supply-demand matching index and to visualize the results. Spatial statistical and network analysis methods are used to identify and illustrate the spatial distribution characteristics of the supply-demand relationship. A regression model integrates supply-demand relationships with socio-economic data. The analysis reveals key factors influencing supply-demand relationships and uncovers inclusion issues. These strategies improve urban green space inclusion, ensuring better accessibility and equity for the elderly. Optimization pathways enhance inclusion of urban green spaces for the elderly.
We found that the supply-demand relationship and spatial distribution of green spaces in Wuhan‘s core areas are significantly imbalanced. While central areas such as Wuchang District have a high concentration of green spaces that meet the needs of the elderly, in remote areas such as Wuchang Ancient Town, demand is significantly higher than supply, limiting access for the elderly. Regression model analysis reveals that the distribution and accessibility of green space resources are critical factors influencing inclusion. Therefore, optimizing green space distribution and accessibility is key, requiring a balance between maximizing resource coverage and minimizing supply-demand disparity. This approach enables the elderly in different communities to access green space resources equitably (Ali et al., 2022), fulfilling their well-being needs and improving their physical and mental health and quality of life.
References
Wolch, J.R., Byrne, J. and Newell, J.P. (2014). Urban green space, public health, and environmental justice: The challenge of making cities ‘just green enough’. Landscape and Urban Planning, [online] 125, pp.234–244. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.01.017.
Guo, S., Song, C., Pei, T., Liu, Y., Ma, T., Du, Y., Chen, J., Fan, Z., Tang, X., Peng, Y. and Wang, Y. (2019). Accessibility to urban parks for elderly residents: Perspectives from mobile phone data. Landscape and Urban Planning, [online] 191, p.103642. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.103642.
Aliyas, Z. (2019). Physical, mental, and physiological health benefits of green and blue outdoor spaces among elderly people. International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 31(6), pp.1–12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2019.1681379.
Ali, Md.J., Rahaman, M. and Hossain, Sk.I. (2022). Urban green spaces for elderly human health: A planning model for healthy city living. Land Use Policy, 114, p.105970. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2021.105970.
| Keywords | Green Spaces; Supply-Demand; Accessibility; Equity; Elderly |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
