Contact with blue spaces appears to benefit older adults’ health and well-being, but evidence on its relationship with frailty is scarce. This cross-sectional study investigated associations between exposure to blue spaces and multidimensional frailty in 189 community-dwelling people aged ≥65 years (Portugal). Measurements included the Tilburg Frailty Indicator, questionnaire regarding exposure, and Geographic Information System data for proximity. Purposeful visits once or twice a month were associated with lower physical frailty, as were visits with pets, engaging in physical activity, and spending 1–2 hours or >2 hours in these environments. Visiting with others was associated with lower social frailty. Incidental exposure—passing by visible blue spaces during daily commutes—was linked to lower total and physical frailty. Walking travel times <20 minutes were associated with lower total, physical, and social frailty, with different distances within this range showing domain-specific associations. Results suggest blue spaces may promote healthy aging.
Coelho et al. (2026) studied this question.