A study on environmental elements of residential open spaces for grandparent-child rearing based on a field survey in Tianjin, China

Abstract

With the advent of an aging society, grandparents' involvement in childcare is becoming increasingly common, saving families and society huge nursing costs. Residential open space (ROS) is a common place for grandparents' outdoor childcare activities, influencing the health of grandparents and children. However, existing research on the ROS environmental needs of intergenerational users is still insufficient. This study regards grandparents and children as a cohesive entity, based on environment behavior theory, and constructs a research framework for the ROS environmental elements needs for grandparent-child rearing. Taking a residential area in Tianjin as an example, four types of grandparent-child rearing are identified based on the age of the children. Through interviews with grandparents and observation of outdoor activities involving grandparent-child rearing, significant differences in the needs of ROS environmental elements such as enclosure feeling, pet control, and adult fitness equipment among different types of grandparent-child rearing were found, stemming from different caregiving patterns. This study provides important implications for constructing supportive childcare environments and promoting physical activities and childcare education among intergenerational populations.