LAPPSET Seminar in Brisbane; From Children's and Senior Parks to Intergenerational Play

                                
Community capacity building has been a passion for me for the past five years. As a Service Manager for Finncare, Home and Community, Aged Care Services for the Australian Finnish community, I noticed that it is really hard to inspire people who have been guided to passivity in their retirement to revitalise their interest in recreational sports and fitness. If we think that it is hard to pick up a new habit as a young person, how hard would it be to change your attitude when you are set to the end of life path already at the age of 65.

As a Director, responsible for providing community care services for a large community in every age group, I have come to realize that intergenerational solutions are the best and most effective in terms of getting the community involved in their own wellbeing. Promoting healthy lifestyle is most efficient when everybody has the change to be together in the same space. It could be at different times of the day but it is the connection to the community and the feeling of belonging that is important.

My search for inspiration for Intergenerational Play has long roots, starting from the cultural dance and games that were such a wonderful experience for me as a young person. The connectedness to friends, family and community can not be stressed enough when talking about what inspires people for community involvement and healthy lifestyle. If there is a reason to be mentally active, live longer at home, be involved in the world, then my experience shows that it is easier to take up new habits to enhance that wellbeing.


Recently, I attended an innovative Seminar on Parks and Playgrounds in Brisbane, organised by the LAPPSET Group. They are playground equipment specialists from Finland and the leaders of the multi-generational playground design concept.

The Lappset Seminar introduced the participants to innovative ways of looking into public playground design, from defining who are the park equipment uses to suggesting practical ways to new playground design.

Many interesting talks were given explaining the necessity for careful understanding of the community needs, of planning suitable playgrounds to meet these needs and ideas on how to implement the whole Intergenerational Play concept to the modern way of life.

From Tuire Karaharju-Huisman, a researcher to aging population from Melbourne, I learned that by 2017, 15% of Queenslanders are over 65 but only 43% of people between 65-75 are active enough to keep them in good health. It is of grave importance for an aging person to be agile enough to avoid falls that can lead to permanent health risks. Walking alone is not enough to keep the kind of personal fitness, strength, balance and flexibility that enables a long healthy lifestyle. What is needed is some planned activities that are especially designed to maintain personal fitness and health.

One good example of the national focus on Senior Parks is found in Spain, where there are more than 1000 parks designated to promote Senior Health. This doesn't mean that they are for the seniors alone as many parks are used for different age groups during the different times of the day. This requires that they are planned to be diverse enough for everybody. The focus then shifts to designing a suitable play area where multi-generational play is possible.

On the other hand, I was made to understand that young people have their own needs and many times it is important to take into account that they might want a whole park devoted just to their entertainment. The huge success of Parkour in the designated parks points to that. There again, it is essential to note that boys and girls learn in a different way.

According to Ali Kadhim, the Australian Parkour Champion, boys learn to jump and then land as opposed to girls who train to land before learning to jump. And up to now, I haven't even mentioned the original mass uses of the playground equipment, the children under 10 where there are such noted enormous differences in age play that for example 4 and 7 year old children do not even play together, not to mention in the same way.

Ali Kadhim pointed out that in today's society where all the children are being supervised and all the risks for harm are carefully measured, there is a need for children and youth to search for their limits in order to develop their self-confidence. Parkour, for example, let's the kids find their own strength and limitations in a safe environment.

Jenette Blake, from Queensland Health called for everyone 'to consider taking physical activity out of the gym and into the playground' where intergenerational community involvement would enhance the general wellness and wellbeing of everyone. According to her, public parks are a cost-effective way to promote healthy communities. She also noted a changing public perception that encourages community evolvement.


Petteri Ikäheimo, the Asian Manager for the Lappset Group said that 'it is about doing things together', that if adults play together with their children in the playground, they are inclined to spend longer time there. The imperative, then, is to design the equipment so that it enables multi-generational play.

Well, after a day like that, who wouldn't be convinced? Especially, after we went to visit the Riverdale Park in Logan, where there is a wonderful playground, designed by LAPPSET where we were able to witness a marvelous Parkour demonstration by Ali and his Team9Lives mates.

In conclusion, I can say, that the attendees to the Lappset Seminar now have a considerably better understanding of the Intergenerational Play concept in global and multi-generational perspective. I feel that my passion for the Community Capacity Building has been enhanced and that I now feel even more enthusiastic in my goal to help to further Healthy Communities through striving to provide more opportunities for Intergenerational Play.

I sincerely thank the organisers for providing us with such a pleasurable and informative day and I look forward to working towards the realization of a dream where we could have more such interactive playgrounds in our own communities.

The Pictures in this blog are:
1. Rivedale Park at Logan, Queensland. A Parkour friendly design.
2. Team9Lives from Sydney
3. An inspirational quote
4. Ali Kadhim showing what he can do
5. Me testing my fitness, strength, balance and flexibility
6. Team9Lives Parkour demoinstration
7. An example of multi-generational playground equipment
8. Some Seminar participants at the Riverdale Park. In the forground Tuire Karaharju-Huisman

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Visiting Limestone Park, Fitness Path and Nodes in Ipswich

From the concept of the Senior Park to the community recreational health through walking at a park



It is interesting what can be found if one pays attention to detail. Not that I say, I do. For example not before a PlayWorld, play equipment representative, from Western Australia, had a telephone conversation about the concept of LifeTrail with me last week, did I know that 15 minutes down the road where I live, in the Limestone Park, in Ipswich, there actually is one. This is how it works in reality.

One is alerted to something through media, like I was impressed by the worldwide media coverage of the opening of the London Senior Park at Hyde Park. I was inspired by the idea. It fits with the development of services desperately needed in my own community and within the framework of the services provided by the organisation I work for. I was able to visit the London Senior Park on my trip to Europe and I was lucky enough to speak with the park project manager (see my previous posting on my visit there in July). From there on, I have found that there are many different solutions that have been realised by many countries, councils and places in order to get the public noticing that healthy living and regular physical exercise should be at the forefront of their mind. From being inspired by an idea, there is still a long way to actual regular exercise. For example Lappset (also introduced by a previous posting) playground equipment for seniors was developed in Spain and is manufactured in Finland. PlayWorld is an American invention. LifeTrail consists of low impact exercise stations that can be organised along a pathway for people to stop to use at their own leisure while walking at a park or a provided area. The stations are especially suitable for people with moderate exercise in mind and those who are over 65. The exercise equipment nodes are mainly meant for adult use.

I knew that there is an exercise node at the Limestone Park in Ipswich. My son regularly bikes past it and has taken me there after I became interested in the Senior Park concept but I was unaware that these nodes are part of a larger LifeTrail setup. They are not detectable through Google Maps satellite pictures, not yet at least. Last Saturday my daughter and I went to investigate.

I parked near the node I know exists and went to take pictures. From there I could see another node in the distance. Afterwards I found yet another one. These nodes are connected by a concreted pathway which is suitable for a wheelchair, if needed. I also found a parking place near the presumed start to the LifeTrail with five stations. My daughter, who had left her wheelchair home, had a hard time waking, and the slight slope of the path stoped her way completely. Luckily there are some benched provided in each node, so I could walk by myself while she sat and waited.

I talked to a woman who parked next to our car asking her if she used the stations while walking. “No”, she said. But she told me that the Ipswich Hospital walking group uses them in early mornings and that she knows they are well used by others. On a Saturday afternoon, the pathway was relatively empty, just a couple of families. The sporting ground was in use, though.

Limestone Park is a nice place to visit. It is a large area, well suited for the LifeTrail setup. I was quite impressed by it. I am quite prepared to add the visiting to the park to my list of suitable picnic areas. I could walk there quite happily. Taking my daughter, who is in a wheelchair, to the park would be a bit more difficult as I would need to push her wheelchair along the pathways and up the slopes. I also noticed that the material the stations are made of is plastic. Although high standard and able to stand the weather, ecologically thinking some re-designing could be used there. All in all, I am very happy to have found such a remarkable setup near home. The arrangement is a wonderful sports and recreational initiative by the Ipswich City Council, Sports and Recreation and the Qld Government.

Further Discussion on the Senior Park Concept and Its Relation to Community Capacity Building

International Perspectives

Immediately after posting the Senior Park at Hyde Park report on my blog I got a few interesting emails as comments from people both from Finland and in Australia.

From Finland I got an email saying how interesting this kind of concept is, even though the person had not thought about it before. Next, I got a link to ‘Iltalehti’ and ‘Tamperalainen’ (a local paper) articles which were describing the process of building the first Senior Park or Play Area in Tampere, Norrköping Park.

This has led me to further think about the Senior Park in relation to the community capacity building. It is not such a simple concept after all or in any way a 'one fits all' kind of concept.

In the Tamperelainen article the Principal Park Ranger Timo Koski comments on the Senior Park equipment. The use of equipment is aimed at getting results. “Besides enhancing the muscle condition”, Koski explains, “the equipment is designed to specifically improve coordination and balance.” He also expressly states that the equipment is for the use of all age groups. No restrictions there.

When discussing the Senior Park concept with Emily at Hyde Park, her comments were in relation to the atmosphere and the heritage the senior park would carry as part of the historically defined recreation area in London. The most striking thing there is the deck chairs which on a sunny day are filled with people enjoying the sun and casing over the lake. In my opinion they have also amicably realized their prior stated aims.

In Tampere, although the ‘Iltalehti’ uses the word ‘leikkipuisto’ as reference to children’s play which could work against the concept in older people’s minds as it is a bit degrading, the focus is on results. The park will even have a fitted rail along the edges to enable the walking practice for those people recovering from stroke or other kind of injuries.

The focus on results is a familiar concept to me in relation to HUR-gym equipment (also Finnish) and their use in aged care facilities across the world. The goal there is to improve the muscle condition for the elderly to allow a normal lifestyle as long as possible. The results are very good and often help the elderly to stay at home for much longer period and so save public funds in relation to unnecessary hospital or nursing home intake.

In the Finnish model of Senior Park (or Spanish as the Lappset concept of senior play areas was designed in Barcelona according to the Lappset Australian representative) there is no particular social focus in opposition to Hyde Park. It is not stated if there are any benches there. This does not mean that there wouldn’t be some.

The next contradiction is low impact and low visibility. The equipment in the Finnish model is colourful in opposition to Hyde Park gray look. On the other hand the enclosure in Hyde Park is surrounded by beautifully kept flowers and hedges and so creates a warm and cosy atmosphere. The Lappset equipment, on the other hand calls for an adventurer to try them on.

Some of the Australian people, who have commented, have promised pictures from their areas, where equipment is laid out in parks. I am hoping there will be more talk about this in the future.

As in what suits our community in Jimboomba or Logan, the discussion is just starting. I am hoping the thoughts presented here and the general information about the subject will help us desire on an initiative that enhances our community and works to improve our services.

Links:

http://www.tamperelainen.fi/Uutiset/Paikallisuutiset/Paauutiset/Lasten-leikkipuiston-valineita-Ei-tassa-kiipeilevat-vanhukset?sms_ss=email

http://www.iltalehti.fi/uutiset/2010072212076504_uu.shtml

The Senior Park at Hyde Park in London

A few weeks ago (June 2010), a new ‘Play Park Area’ opened in London at Hyde Park. The park is specifically targeted for the use of older people, those who are 60 years and older. The opening of the Park was very well covered in the media around the world.




Immediately upon reading some articles about the Senior Park as a concept I became very curious and wanted to investigate it further for the benefit of my own community. If the concept would be suitable, I thought, we could consider a similar kind of project in Australia. The weather in Queensland certainly is right for outside activities around the year. A Play Park Area like that could be an ideal addition to a Community Care Centre which does not have space enough for an indoor gym but is suitably positioned next to a park and secure enough to run activity programs for older people, including toilet facilities and a possibility of a cafe.


I emailed the Royal Parks in London and acquired an appointment with Emily, who had managed the Senior Park Project for the Royal Parks in London. She told me about the project as follows:


The aim of the design and construction of the Play Area according to the ‘Older People’s Play Area, Design and Access Statement’ was to “provide the greatest health benefit and ease of access while creating as little visual impact upon the surrounding landscape as possible.”




Some issues the project management has considered:

The Senior Park had to
- be in a secure place to allow the privacy and the safety of the equipment
- the park needed to be near a pavillion with a cafe, a covered area and the toilet facilities
- besides the activity element a social element had to be considered
- the set up of the park had to be specifically considered for older people’s comfort
- low impact equipment had to be chosen
- low visibility had to be considered for safety and heritage reasons


The Senior Park is situated in an enclosing with the Tennis Courts and the Lawn Bowling. The only entrance is through a Pavillion with toilets and cafe. It is enclosed by lovely gardens.






The setup of the Play Area is in a circular form. There are six low impact equipments situated in a circle, with three benches for social interaction. It is very easy to move around the circle between the equipment. The Park is enclosed with hedges for privacy and low visibility reasons.


The only thing Emily saw as a possible issue was that there is a children’s play area quite near. The equipment is not suitable for children under 15 years. There have been some issues of some equipment breaking down. It could possibly be due to usage by children.





The difference between the Trim Trail setup and the Senior Park setup for outdoor play area

I was really interested in what the difference is between just having gym equipment in a park and the concept of the Senior Park. Emily said that it is mainly the setup of the equipment where the social angle has to be taken into account; that the park is provided with benches for the possibility of socialisation. The other difference is in the circulars setup that enables easy access to the equipment. The visitors do not need to walk between the equipment like with the trim trail.


This is a gym equipment area at Leyton, London, with rock climbing and a circular Trim Trail setup for vigorous usage. My son’s comment on this was that he never needed to be a member of a gym as he could go to this area and exercise as much as he wanted to on a daily basis during the summer months.




Also, mark how people have added weights to some equipment to get more out of them. Also the visibility is to be considered. Here all the equipment are green and create much more visibility although still less than children's play areas which are real high visibility areas.









Some links on the net about the opening of the Senior Park:


http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5642453,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8506302.stm

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23835771-playground-helps-elderly-to-shed-the-grey-pounds.do