Wanted: active older bushwalkers!

[hsmi7628]

We're kicking off a project at the National Parks Association of NSW to improve bushwalking accessibility. We want to provide better track information to help more people in our community find suitable bushwalks for them.

We're particularly interested in talking to older people that have been able to keep bushwalking, despite challenges such as arthritis, continence issues etc. We're also keen to chat to people that have experience helping older friends and family continue to go bushwalking as they age.

If this sounds like you, I'd love to catch up and learn more! Get in touch via personal message on this forum or email (helens@npansw.org.au).

Thanks, Helen

[Moondog55]

Honestly? Do you think people who are actively still bushwalking and older really want or need your help?

[Strider]

Give it to her Moondog

I think the idea might be to gather knowledge from those active elderly citizens to then assist others in getting out there?

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[hsmi7628]

Spot on Strider

The idea is to learn from people that have figured out tracks, trails and strategies that work. Why re-invent the wheel when there's a wealth of knowledge to tap into in the bushwalking community?

But the outcomes aren't restricted to older people. They would be of broad benefit to the community. For example, knowledge of and access to flatter smoother tracks would be great for wheelchair users as well as families with prams.

Hope that helps understand the project context a bit better. Happy to answer any other concerns.

[GTL]

Sounds great. Good work and good luck with it. Oh, and just ignore that Moondog thing; resident weirdo

[Penguin]

Define "older" if you dare

[Moondog55]

Sounds great. Good work and good luck with it. Oh, and just ignore that Moondog thing; resident weirdo

????
Not weird I simply don't want help from 3rd parties, it takes away my independence and diminished my self reliance.
To get Non-Active people out on the tracks would be a much greater challenge; people like my beloved wife who has MS and its associated balance and endurance problems, that needs track grading and smooth stable surfaces, anything suitable for a wheelchair is good for MS sufferers, the other and main issue in my mind is simply the lack of disabled/wheelchair toilet facilities and associated parking at the track start.
BUT
My main issue is I think that running a survey is just another way of not doing anything, it being so much cheaper to run a survey and look like something is happening than to actually get down and do some track maintenance and shelter/toilet building

[Strider]

I agree MD. The best way to get people out there, at any age, is to simply get out there. If people don't do it, they have no possible way of knowing what exactly what they are missing out on. Bushwalking is about so much more than just exercise and nice scenery.

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[Gusto]

With respect to physical disabilities then you should check out the maps and facilities in parts of the Grampians. They also have All Terrain Wheel chairs that can be borrowed out.

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/grampians-national-park/accessibility/all-terrain-wheelchair

But this doesn't really help old people, unless they have young companions with them

[swills]

As an "older" bushwalker / xc skier at the young age of nearly 62 if I manage to survive an up coming 5 day walk around Jagungal. I think you should be looking at motivating the younger walkers as most people I meet are around my age. At times when I meet younger (under half my age) its a delight to have a chat and encourage them on their way. A way to get people into the bush is to have marked trails, not everyone can take a compass bearing confidently and when visibility is poor the odd track marker is comforting. Not closing tracks is important, if a 4WD track is not used and it becomes a single walking track then maintain it as such, (The Dargals), walking on dirt roads is hard on the body. Access to trails is important, we use to have a bus/taxi service to Snowy Mts NP, eg. Round Mt. but no more. use to be great having someone reliable to drop off and pick up, summer and winter. What is NSW Parks doing about this? Ever tried to get public transport to a National Park eg. Thredbo in summer, Mt Selwyn NSW in winter. A lot needs to be done for all users of the outdoors.

[neilmny]

Sounds great. Good work and good luck with it. Oh, and just ignore that Moondog thing; resident weirdo

????
Not weird I simply don't want help from 3rd parties, it takes away my independence and diminished my self reliance..........

Hold it.........you're not much older than me Moondog and I am not elderly..........speak for yourself mate

GTL....Moondog is not a weirdo.........I am and he's never at the meetings

[Moondog55]

Sounds great. Good work and good luck with it. Oh, and just ignore that Moondog thing; resident weirdo

????
Not weird I simply don't want help from 3rd parties, it takes away my independence and diminished my self reliance..........

Hold it.........you're not much older than me Moondog and I am not elderly..........speak for yourself mate

GTL....Moondog I not a weirdo.........I am and he's never at the meetings

Some days I feel a lot older than I actually am

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=24081

Anybody wanna come to my 65th BD party??

[wildwalks]

Hi

To get Non-Active people out on the tracks would be a much greater challenge; people like my beloved wife who has MS and its associated balance and endurance problems, that needs track grading and smooth stable surfaces, anything suitable for a wheelchair is good for MS sufferers, the other and main issue in my mind is simply the lack of disabled/wheelchair toilet facilities and associated parking at the track start.

Helen's (and my) project (http://www.naturallyaccessible.org/) is looking at older people and people with mobility based disabilities. The research is looking at what information is needed to help more people decide if they can do the walk. eg how to actually describe surface, and facilities such as toilets, parking seats etc.

My main issue is I think that running a survey is just another way of not doing anything, it being so much cheaper to run a survey and look like something is happening than to actually get down and do some track maintenance and shelter/toilet building

We can not find any other research in AU that looks at what information people need to make an informed decision about going. This project is divided into two parts. Firstly understanding what information people need and secondly is working out best practise in gathering and presenting that information. The project has already document 10 walks (see this example http://www.wildwalks.com/bushwalking-an ... track.html) using this framework for testing. Over the next few months we expect that there will be more the 40 walks documented based on early finding from the research.
This project is not about putting in more toilets and seats etc. It is about better communicating what walks are out there with these facilities. EG if you have continence issues, how do you find a walk with a toilet every hour? or if you have joint pain of fatigue quickly how to you find a walk with seats at regular intervals. In NSW these walks already exist, but are not documented in a way that helps improve access for people with disabilities. The goal of the project is to actually provide better information that will give people ability to make decisions about a walks suitability for them, and give them greater independence.
I would suggest research like this is very important to ensure that we help people find walks already out there and also ensure future enhancement consider access requirements for all people.
Worth watching the video here if the topic is of interest to understand the scope of the project. http://www.naturallyaccessible.org/

thanks

Matt

[Moondog55]

Matt that is a very good explanation of the project and not what I thought it was about.
It did sound different ; in my ears anyway; to that in the OP

[wildwalks]

Matt that is a very good explanation of the project and not what I thought it was about.
It did sound different ; in my ears anyway; to that in the OP

Cool, yeah It is always hard to get these messages across. I too am sick of projects that waste a lot of time and produce nothing -- they are very common and disheartening.
We are already seeing some good outcomes from this -- it is exciting to see the interest in the idea from different land managers and more importantly from the broader community.
Thanks for joining in the conversation about it, love the passion -- we need people passionate about this stuff -- otherwise nothing happens.

Might be interested in Helen's article in the last BWA magazine (p.62) -- http://emag.bushwalk.com/BWA201610.pdf

Matt

[Watertank]

I read Helen's article, I thought it raised important issues that I hadn't given a great deal of thought about. I think this is a great project, it will also, hopefully, provide information that may assist people that don't have a full range of physical abilities. It seems to me to be an excellent initiative and I'm pleased that Helen is working on it.

[neilmny]

I read Helen's article, I thought it raised important issues that I hadn't given a great deal of thought about. I think this is a great project, it will also, hopefully, provide information that may assist people that don't have a full range of physical abilities. It seems to me to be an excellent initiative and I'm pleased that Helen is working on it.

Agreed, it looks a very worthy project. Sadly for other states only a NSW project and I fear the nanny state (VIC) would freak out about people with disabilities free ranging so to speak as they already do about fully able people.

Forgive me if my comments are not PC as I'm not conversant with what is PC and I mean no offense to anyone. Fear of saying the wrong thing should not limit someone from hopefully adding worthwhile commentary. I hope my comments make sense.

My own experience with a temporary disability was recovering from a "massive" heart attack.
After initial walks barely beyond the front door I progressed to walking around Lilydale Lake on the well made and easy tracks that are there. Wonderful.
Next came walks into the local small hills around the Dandenongs even more rewarding.
The final test came when I walked up Mt Dandenong to Kalorama for a coffee at the local Cafe and back. I would not have felt better if I had won the lottery.

I wonder if looking for information here on bushwalk.com is starting at the end instead of the start. Somehow we need to know what people with disabilities feel that they can or more importantly would like to do. This alone is a very big question. With this information in hand enquiring about places that might fit or are a near fit to the criteria might be more efficient.

[Mark F]

While I generally support the idea - more information is always useful although too much can remove the spontaneity and sense of adventure. My thought is that if people haven't taken up bushwalking by the time they reach old age, why would they do so at that the point they are becoming frail. People who have made a hobby of bushwalking during their lives are usually going to be aware of the walks in their area and the conditions they will face.

[GPSGuided]

I agree with Mark's realistic perspective.

By the time the word 'frail' is applied and have not been a regular walker, then I would limit walks on flat and well groomed trails at most. Otherwise common bushwalking trails are major falls risks and can be deadly to this group. As anyone who is involved in aged care would know, fall prevention is a major objective.

Of course, there'll always be great 80s and 90 years olds. So maybe it's better to define on the basis of functional status than simple age in years.

[north-north-west]

Some days I feel a lot older than I actually am

*snivelly sigh*
Don't we all.

[Tim-Australian Hiker]

Its interesting to see the responses below and i'll throw my two cents worth in from two aspects.

Firstly my undergrad degree is in Landscape Architecture and while I have not worked in the field a number of my projects during my degree were based around trail design. In addition I have a keen interest in place making. So I would be interested in providing any assistance if you still need it.

Secondly as I age I am starting to develop a real issue with the term old. Not because I consider myself old, I'm 55, but because others do. I agree with others who have posted in that there needs to be a variety of tracks available that suits individuals who rarely walk, through to hardened long term hikers who want a challenge and rather than using age as a factor I would aim at fitness levels. Having said that I know from research undertaken during my degree that toilet facilities are a big issue for the non fanatical hikers who don't necessarily want to dig cat holes on the occasional walk that they do.

Tim