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Where do they go and how do they get there? Older adults' travel behaviour in a highly walkable environment

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  • Winters, Meghan
  • Voss, Christine
  • Ashe, Maureen C.
  • Gutteridge, Kaitlyn
  • McKay, Heather
  • Sims-Gould, Joanie

Abstract

Mobility—the ability to move about in one's neighbourhood and maintain independence—is essential for older adults' wellbeing. Neighbourhood environments support or hinder mobility especially as health declines and physical vulnerability increases with age. Linkages between mobility and planning and policy are key to designing age-friendly neighbourhoods with destinations that encourage older adults to get out and be physically active. We describe the mobility of older adults who live in a highly walkable neighbourhood. Specifically, we address the questions of ‘where do older adults go?’ (destinations) and ‘how they get there?’ (travel mode, physical activity). We recruited older adults (age 60+) who live in Vancouver's downtown core, an area acknowledged to be highly walkable (Walk Score®: 94–97/100), and who leave their houses most days of the week. Participants (n = 184) recorded travel in diaries and wore an ActiGraph GT3X + accelerometer for 7 days during September to October 2012. We classified reported destinations according to the North American Industry Classification System, and analysed mobility [trip rates (overall and walking), steps, moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA)] and associations between travel and physical activity-related mobility measures. Key destinations were grocery stores (13.6% of trips), restaurants (7.2%), malls/marketplaces (5.5%), and others' homes (5.4%). Participants made 4.6 (std: 2.5) one-way trips/day, took 7910.1 (3871.1) steps/day, and accrued 39.2 (32.9) minutes/day of MVPA. Two-thirds of trips were by active modes (62.8% walk, 3.2% bike) and 22.4% were by car. Trip rates were significantly associated with physical activity outcomes. Older adults living in highly walkable neighbourhoods were very mobile and frequently used active transportation. Travel destinations signify the importance of nearby commercial and social opportunities, even in a highly walkable environment. The high rates of active travel and physical activity in a walkable neighbourhood suggest that when provided compelling destinations, community dwelling older adults walk more and may achieve health benefits through daily travel.

Suggested Citation

  • Winters, Meghan & Voss, Christine & Ashe, Maureen C. & Gutteridge, Kaitlyn & McKay, Heather & Sims-Gould, Joanie, 2015. "Where do they go and how do they get there? Older adults' travel behaviour in a highly walkable environment," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 304-312.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:133:y:2015:i:c:p:304-312
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.07.006
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    3. Melanie Davern & Rachel Winterton & Kathleen Brasher & Geoff Woolcock, 2020. "How Can the Lived Environment Support Healthy Ageing? A Spatial Indicators Framework for the Assessment of Age-Friendly Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-20, October.
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    6. Meijering, Louise & Weitkamp, Gerd, 2016. "Numbers and narratives: Developing a mixed-methods approach to understand mobility in later life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 168(C), pages 200-206.
    7. Soltani, Ali & Pojani, Dorina & Askari, Sajad & Masoumi, Houshmand E., 2018. "Socio-demographic and built environment determinants of car use among older adults in Iran," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 109-117.
    8. Zhang, Yongsheng & Yao, Enjian & Zhang, Rui & Xu, Hao, 2019. "Analysis of elderly people's travel behaviours during the morning peak hours in the context of the free bus programme in Beijing, China," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 191-199.
    9. Qian Wang & Guie Li & Min Weng, 2024. "Unraveling the Dynamic Relationship between Neighborhood Deprivation and Walkability over Time: A Machine Learning Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, May.
    10. Engel, L. & Chudyk, A.M. & Ashe, M.C. & McKay, H.A. & Whitehurst, D.G.T. & Bryan, S., 2016. "Older adults' quality of life – Exploring the role of the built environment and social cohesion in community-dwelling seniors on low income," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-11.
    11. Ottoni, Callista A. & Sims-Gould, Joanie & Winters, Meghan & Heijnen, Myrthe & McKay, Heather A., 2016. "“Benches become like porches”: Built and social environment influences on older adults’ experiences of mobility and well-being," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 33-41.
    12. Phoenix, Cassandra & Bell, Sarah L., 2019. "Beyond “Move More”: Feeling the Rhythms of physical activity in mid and later-life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 47-54.
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