Everybody Plays: A Best Practice Guide to Multigenerational Design

Session Description: As our population continues to age, communities must continue to stay livable and usable to all- because the reality is we’re designing these communities for our future selves. According to the World Health Organization, by 2050 2 billion people will be over the age of 60. Everybody Plays takes a look at the evolution of our aging population and age-integration trends. We will address the necessity of creating spaces that all ages can share and the benefits those provide. Specifically; we will take a look at how intentionally designed parks contribute to healthy lifestyles both physical and mental, can keep users engaged in society through all points in their lifespan- thus reducing isolation in older adults, meeting the needs of younger children, and providing engaging challenge for all stages of life in between through healthy age integration and recreation variety. Everybody Plays addresses how we are able to design everything from our facilities to our playgrounds themselves to create an experience that encourages all to participate. Through best practice design elements, we can create park and play-spaces that go beyond access but provide enriching and engaging experiences for all so that we can continue to learn from each other, combat ageist beliefs, and most importantly- allow everybody to play.