WELLNESS PLAYGROUNDS FOR ELDERS
Founder- Michael Cohen.
United States.
Program Description
"We are the first company in the U.S. dedicated to designing and building world-class wellness playgrounds for elders."
"Other industrialized countries have even older populations than the U.S. Perhaps this is one reason why wellness playgrounds for elders, little known in the U.S., abound in China and Japan, where they first appeared in the 1990s.
In the 2000s, elders' playgrounds have also become increasingly popular in Europe & Canada."
musthaveplay.com
Wellness playgrounds for elders take the concept of a traditional indoor exercise room and move it outdoors.
Wellness playgrounds for elders include:
- Swings and see-saws.
- Walking paths, with ramps, steps, arches, and reflexology sections.
- Multi-person, face-to-face exercise equipment focused on balance, muscle tone cardiovascular activity, fine motor skills, and range of motion.
- Game tables for cards, board games, ping-pong, and jacks.
- Basketball hoops, bocce, horseshoes, or other tossing games.
- Touch-screen computers with games for brain exercise and dexterity.
- Conversational nooks and peaceful seating.
- Attractive small and large shelters.
- Raised and in-ground gardens.
- Water features.
- Acoustic spaces for playing and listening to music and readings.
- Murals and sculptures.
- Thoughtful use of color.
Must Have Play's playgrounds for elders encourage social interaction by providing:
- Safe, attractive and peaceful gardens, with shelters, conversational seating nooks, and wide walking paths.
- Activity equipment designed for face-to-face usage.
- Games like chess, cards, bocce, and ping-pong.
- Spaces for yoga or tai chi.
- Acoustic performance spaces for both observing and performing.
Regular exercise for elders may help to:
- Prevent falls and fractures.
- Reduce the risk of strokes, heart disease, and some cancers.
- Lessen cognitive decline.
- Control obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Must Have Play provides consultations for designing and building wellness playgrounds for retirement communities, assisted living and other senior communities. The organization provides 3D digital models of the design, cost estimates, builders, contractors, and consultants such as parks departments, town planners etc.
Wellness playgrounds for elders are also known in other parts of the world as Nursing Care Prevention Parks, Senior Citizens' Playgrounds, or Older People's Play Areas. Wellness playground for elders can be found in China, Japan, Finland, Germany, Canada, England and the United States.
source: musthaveplay.com
Aging Related Programs
WATCH VIDEO ON WELLNESS PLAYGROUNDS FOR ELDERS |
|