Ensuring Outdoor Stays for Older Adults in Residential Care Facilities Through Governance and Policy – A Position Paper

Bibliographic Data

ID22248995
AuthorsMadeleine Liljegren (0000-0003-4656-9019, Chalmers University of Technology, corresponding author), Melanie van der Velde-van Buuringen (0000-0003-2039-4038, Leiden University Medical Center), Erja Rappe (0000-0003-4067-3202, University of Helsinki), Monique A A Caljouw (0000-0002-2550-530X, Leiden University Medical Center), Susanna Nordin (0000-0003-3356-7583, Dalarna University)
Year2026
Pages1-20
Publication date2026-06-19
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Aging and Environment (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2689-2618 • E-ISSN: 2689-2626
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/26892618.2026.2684449
OpenAlexW7165147686
LanguageEN
References cited23

Despite well-documented health benefits, outdoor stays remain limited for older adults living in residential care facilities (RCFs) across Europe. This position paper compares governance, policy, and research in the Netherlands, Finland, and Sweden, identifying key barriers, particularly for persons experiencing physical or cognitive decline. Drawing on three theoretical models, the paper highlights a persistent gap between evidence and practice, and calls for the establishment of legal rights, national strategies, and international guidelines to ensure equitable access to outdoor stays. Contact with nature and outdoor stays should be recognized not as optional amenities, but as fundamental human needs in later life

Corporate governance · Nursing homes · Position paper · Residential care · Geriatric Care and Nursing Homes · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies

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