Today, in the UK, there are almost 11 million people aged 65 and over – 19% of the total population. In 10 years’ time, this will have increased to almost 13 million people, or 22% of the population. Staying fit across the lifespan is important for healthy ageing.

The benefits of the great outdoors for healthy ageing is well evidenced and understood, as explored in our previous podcast. Health professionals encourage people to get outdoors as part of preventative action and treatment. In fact, there is a term for such integration of outdoor activities – ‘Green Social Prescribing’.

The NHS defines Green Social Prescribing as the practice of supporting people to engage in nature-based interventions and activities to improve their mental and physical health. Some examples of this include local walking schemes, community gardening projects, conservation volunteering, green gyms, open water swimming or arts and cultural activities which take place outdoors. Green Social Prescribing can be useful for anyone regardless of age, although it can be particularly useful for those who are older because it can help them meet the Five Pillars of Ageing Well: nutrition, hydration, physical activity, social and cognitive stimulation. This is because Green Social Prescribing can encourage someone to take up physical activity outdoors with others, providing cognitive and social stimulation as well as exercise. If paired with healthy snacks and hydration, then all five pillars are part of it!  

Green Social Prescribing for a better society

Social Prescribing is about supporting people with challenges relating to the wider determinants of health, so they are better placed to adopt healthy behaviours. Some may need support with finance, relationship issues, or employment skills. Other people may experience discrimination or barriers to accessing particular services and activities. This means they can lose trust in statutory health services, and their confidence in public spaces can be affected.

Green Social Prescribing is specifically about supporting people to access activities in green and blue spaces – think nature and water. Depending on the type of activity, it has the potential to tackle many of the wider determinants in one go. For example, community gardens bring people together socially, and can be a space to grow nutritious food and engage in physical activity. Other activities can include walking groups, conservation volunteers and citizen science. Organisations that are responsible for green and blue spaces are increasingly recognising the value of developing activities and programmes to support Green Social Prescribing, and ensuring they are planned with inclusion and access needs in mind. 

However, overcoming barriers to engaging with green spaces is one of society’s major challenges and will require action at various levels. From government committing to the provision of natural spaces by law, to providing actual access to nature. Civil society and business play a part, including supporting community groups. There is also scope for educating society about engaging with and appreciating nature and the value of having nature as part of our daily lives.

An example of social prescribing: The Parks Trust experience

The Parks Trust is a self-financing charity caring for public parks in Milton Keynes. Engaging local people with the great outdoors is one of its core missions, and they have dedicated teams of Outdoor Learning and Events practitioners to ensure that residents have opportunities to access the healing benefits of nature.

The Trust has recently taken over a programme of Health Walks, which are guided walks in parks around the city. Many people are signposted to their walks via their local GP surgery, or through community groups, and there is now at least one walk going on each day of the week. By walking and being outdoors, participants access the 5 Ways to Wellbeing: getting active, taking notice, learning something new, connecting with others and giving time by supporting one another. A great way to practice the 5 Ways to Wellbeing is by attending the 5 Ways Café at St. Andrew’s Church, a dementia-friendly community café where you can grab a cuppa, have a friendly chat and take part in a gentle guided walk. Volunteering opportunities are available too.

Many of the Trust’s outdoor learning activities  facilitate elements of green social prescribing, for example forest bathing workshops (Shinrin-yoku) where you can practice mindfulness in nature. Forest bathing has been so successful is Japan, it has now been implemented as a national health programme, with participants continually studied to try and understand what is going on physiologically. You don’t need to join a session; you can find resources to practice forest bathing on your own on The Parks Trust website.

There is lots of research about gardening and working outdoors being good for health and wellbeing. Each week, a group of volunteers helps The Parks Trust with conservation management tasks, contributing to better habitats across the city. They keep active all day, chat together, share lunch, learn new skills and give something back to their community. Look out for advertised volunteer roles and community tasks with The Parks Trust, or contact your parish council for similar opportunities.

As prevention is better than cure, don’t wait for a doctor to do it; you can prescribe time outdoors to yourself!

Further resources:

• Ageing Well Public Talks series
• Ageing Well Collection
• The Open University and The Parks Trust podcasts