Study on the Influence and Optimization of Neighborhood Space on the Perceived Restoration of Rural Left-Behind Older People: The Case of Changsha, China

Abstract

Neighborhood space profoundly impacts the sustainable development of left-behind older people and the realization of a healthy goal. This study examines the effects of neighborhood space on perceived restoration in rural left-behind older people. Based on a survey in a severely aging village, we use a structural equation model to analyze the relationship between the environmental perception of neighborhood space as a potential restorative environment and the perceived restoration of older people’s specific forms of attention (i.e., fascination, novelty, escape, conformity, and compatibility), with the former having a positive impact on the latter. Neighborhood social cohesion and place attachment are the mediating mechanisms for older people to obtain perceived restoration through the environmental perception of neighborhood space. Moreover, female older people, older people in poor health, and older people living alone are more likely than others to obtain perceived restoration from neighborhood spaces. The study highlights that accessibility, safety, openness, and familiarity of neighborhood spaces play a critical role in older people’s perceived restoration. These findings provide a promising approach for policymakers and planners to implement the perceived health of left-behind older people and support sustainable health aging in rural communities through space-based interventions.