The Relationship between Environmental Quality and Elderly Presence Ability in Urban Open Spaces, Case Study: Laleh Park, Tehran

Parks and urban green spaces have always been places to spend hours away from the bustling life and its numerous problems. In the meantime, elderly people also have the same share from such spaces as other people. Elderly, including old social groups with old age and decreasingly activities, have very leisure time and the possibility of using the urban park for voluntary and community activities is more than other society’s members. In this regard, this paper has been developed to improve the environmental quality of such spaces for the presence ability of vulnerable elderly population. Therefore by investigating the indicators and criteria of elderly presence ability at Laleh park of Tehran city which is one of the oldest parks in the 6th district of Tehran with the highest elderly populations, the gathered data were studied and then the quality of park was assessed. The Research method is descriptive analytical and gauging. Interviews were done with 384 elderly people over 60 years who were present in the park. Data were collected by using questionnaires and analysis was performed by using statistical software. It has been confirmed that According to (p_value <0/05), there is a significant relationship between different levels of proposed model and dependent variable of quality of environment. Based on cognitivebehavioral studies approach, can be said that; preferences and requirements such social interactions in urban parks, quality of accessibility, equipment and services are the most important priorities for elderly presence ability in urban parks. Therefore, due to its importance in Laleh Park, It can be said that deficiency of accessibility quality is the most significant reason for elderly dissatisfaction and elderly had an approximate willingness about comfort, relaxation, image and sociability, as a result of remedies that they have been provided.