Open Space Utilization by the Old People in Public Residential Estates, Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the utilisation of open spaces by old people in four Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) public residential estates. A field survey research approach   was adopted whileSystematic Random Sampling technique was adopted to select the samples. Three hundred and Thirty five (365) copies of questionnaire were administered to elderly residents selected from Dolphin II, Ebute-Metta, Iba, and Jakande estates situated in Lagos Island and Lagos Mainland, and the data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests. Findings revealed that open spaces were utilised daily by majority of the respondents, predominantly in the evening and during the dry seasonchiefly for mental health balance, relaxation and recreation most often in the company of grandchildren. Gender, employment status before retirement, marital status, household population, number of elders per household and income status, were all significantly associated with the level of open space utilisation. Utilisation also differed significantly across estates with Jakande recording the highest average utilisation rank and Iba the lowest, but not across age sub-groups. Findings underscore open space as a socioeconomically stratified, rather than uniformly accessed, resource for elderly wellbeing, and point to the need for estate-level, income-sensitive interventions to broaden and sustain its use among older residents.The study recommends age-inclusiverather than age-segregated design, that can satisfy the utilization of the available open spaces by the old people, also estate-specific diagnosis rather than uniform policy for proper estate maintenance.