Developing a matrix and manual for mapping access to outdoor environments for older adults and care workers at residential care facilities

Journal article, 2026

Although quantitative and qualitative tools exist for assessing environments for older adults and care workers at residential care facilities (RCFs), a method for mapping quantitative accesses to physical outdoor environmental aspects, such as windows, entrances, balconies, patios, gardens, parks, and squares is lacking. The aim of this study is to develop a matrix and manual for quantitatively mapping the existence of access to physical environmental aspects of outdoor environments for older adults and care workers at RCFs. The matrix and manual are developed through an interdisciplinary approach involving healthcare science, architecture, and landscape architecture, and included a ten-step process comprising the identification of a theoretical basis, definition of physical environmental aspects, construction of the matrix, development of a manual, a pilot study, iterative revisions, and quality assurance. The matrix and manual are developed for use at a national level, but can also be applied locally, for example within a single municipality. The matrix comprises 26 physical environmental aspects, and the manual describes how to carry out the mapping. By using the matrix and the manual, insights can be gained into physical environmental conditions for outdoor environments as part of everyday life and arenas for person-centred care and rehabilitation. Insights from such research can contribute to a broader understanding of how to meet the needs and wishes of older adults and care workers related to outdoor environments at RCFs and in similar healthcare settings, both nationally and internationally.