Examining the Process of Modal Choice for Everyday Travel Among Older People

Intercity Mobility Assessment Facing the Demographic Challenge: A Survey-Based Research

The key factor in moving towards a more sustainable travel model is based on improving mobility, especially in rural areas that share territorial dynamics with urban areas and are connected by a daily flow of inhabitants. The purpose of this article is to carry out a diagnosis of the daily mobility patterns of the inhabitants of a number of rural municipalities, with the aim of promoting sustainability and mitigating the phenomenon of territorial depopulation in future local planning policies. The research methodology is based on the use of revealed preference surveys together with accessibility analysis using GIS tools, allowing for an in-depth knowledge of the mobility patterns of the municipalities in the area under analysis. In this respect, the reference parameters in terms of territorial accessibility are determined by applying the network analysis procedure to basic public services. The results reflect the existence of an unbalanced modal split with a preponderance of private vehicle use (regardless of the destination or the reason for the journey). In addition, a very weak inter-municipal connection dynamic is observed. There is a knowledge gap in the verification of the long-term suitability of sustainable measures in rural areas implemented after the development of mobility plans (in order to assess their effectiveness).

Fair transport policies for older people: accessibility and affordability of public transport in Santiago, Chile

In this paper, we test how different public transport policy scenarios score in terms of fairness for a specific population group, considering a more complex representation of mobility-related inequalities and the policy implications of transport justice. To do so, we assess potential accessibility to public transport in Santiago de Chile under different policy scenarios, focusing on older people as a group whose demographic and socioeconomic conditions can determine different forms of disadvantage. We compare alternative accessibility policies based on the expansion of the Metro infrastructure network or on reduced public transport fares, considering the interaction between the spatial availability and the affordability of public transport. Results show that subsidized fares for public transport services are more beneficial to expand the accessibility of older people, especially those with lower incomes, while the expansion of the Metro network benefits mainly middle- and high-income older people. The proposed analysis is a first step towards a more detailed, place-based reading of mobility-related inequalities, aimed at assessing alternative policy measures.

Promoting outdoor recreation among older adults in Sweden - a theoretical and empirical foundation for the development of an intervention

BACKGROUND

Disengagement from outdoor recreation may diminish the positive benefits on health and well-being in old age. The purpose of this study is to present a contextual, theoretical, and empirical rationale for an intervention, aiming to promote continued engagement in outdoor recreation for older adults in a Swedish context.

METHODS

The paper includes a contextualization of outdoor recreation in Sweden, a presentation of evidence on health benefits related to engagement in outdoor recreation, together with theoretical frameworks that may guide future intervention designs. To add empirical knowledge, a mixed methods approach was applied, including an empirical data collection based on a quantitative survey (n = 266) and individual semi-structured interviews with older adults (n = 12). Survey data were presented with descriptive statistics. Associations between disengagement from previously performed activities and age and gender was analyzed with Chi2 tests. Transcripts and handwritten notes from the interviews were analyzed qualitatively to identify key themes, as well as patterns and disparities among respondents.

RESULTS

Outdoor recreation was rated as important/very important by 90% of respondents of the survey. The interviews highlighted that engagement in outdoor recreation aided respondents to keep fit but had also relevance in terms of identity, experiences, and daily routines. Outdoor recreation close to the place of residence was most common and walking was the most frequently reported activity. While 80% considered their health to be good/very good, disability and long-term diseases were common and during the previous year, more than half of all respondents had disengaged from activities previously performed. Reasons for disengagement were mainly related to health decline or that activities were too demanding but also due to social loss. The interviews indicated that continued engagement was important but challenging, and that disengagement could be considered as a loss or accepted due to changing circumstances.

CONCLUSIONS

In the design of an intervention aiming to promote engagement in outdoor recreation for older adults, the following features are proposed to be considered: person-centeredness, promoting functioning, addressing self-ageism, providing environmental support, promoting subjective mobility needs and adaptation to find new ways to engage in outdoor recreation.

Exploring Associations of Housing, Relocation, and Active and Healthy Aging in Sweden: Protocol for a Prospective Longitudinal Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND

While housing and neighborhood features have the potential to impact opportunities for active aging, there is a lack of knowledge related to how older people reason regarding their housing situation and how housing and fulfillment of relocation are associated with active and healthy aging.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of Prospective RELOC-AGE are to study housing choices and relocation and explore effects on active and healthy aging among men and women aged 55 years and older in Sweden considering relocation.

METHODS

The estimated sample (2800) will include people aged 55 years and older being listed for relocation at either of two housing companies: a local public housing company in Southern Sweden and a national condominium provider. Prospective RELOC-AGE has a 2-level longitudinal mixed methods design and includes quantitative surveys (implemented by a professional survey company) and a telephone interview for baseline data collection in 2021, with follow-ups with the same procedures in 2022 and 2023. The survey and interviews include questions related to present housing and neighborhood, relocation plans and expectations, a range of perspectives on active and healthy aging, and demographics. Linking to national registers will provide additional data on home help and health care use, objective housing, and neighborhood characteristics. To explore what housing attributes older adults considering relocation find important and to what extent when making their decisions on housing, we will develop a discrete choice experiment to be implemented with a subsample of participants. Further, a grounded theory approach will be applied to collect in-depth interview data from participants who have moved to another dwelling, within 6 months of the move. A follow-up interview 12 months later will focus on participants' deepened experience over time in terms of fulfilled expectations and relocation experiences.

RESULTS

As of submission of this protocol (June 2021), recruitment has commenced with approximately 960 respondents to the survey and ongoing telephone interviews. We anticipate recruitment and data collection based on surveys and interviews to continue during 2021.

CONCLUSIONS

Prospective RELOC-AGE has the capacity to generate new policy-relevant knowledge on associations of housing, relocation, and active and healthy aging. Such knowledge is relevant for the development of proactive approaches to housing in old age on the individual, group, and societal levels.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04765696; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04765696.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/31137.