Speaker
Description
With the continuous increase in the aging population, ensuring the mobility of older adults contributes significantly to their physical and mental well-being as well as their social participation. The built environments in neighborhoods with the concept of healthy aging are a critical area of focus of study. The older adults heavily rely on walking as their primary mode of neighborhood travel. In a gated community, where land use tends to be highly homogeneous, walkability becomes a key factor influencing the travel behavior of older adults. A substantial body of research has been devoted to calculating neighborhood walkability indices. Facing rapid aging, the walkability indices require adjustments according to their walking speed and service needed with finer resolution.
We conducted a travel-tracking survey involving 30 older adults to obtain their travel characteristics, such as walking speed in the Anshan area, where the proportion of elderly residents is high. We collected 378 questionnaires, which included information on older adults' socioeconomic attributes, physical health status, family responsibilities, and travel activity characteristics. Our research focused on the influence of the built environment on the number of their travel per day. The modified walkability index for older adults was compared with the traditional one, and the walkability score was calculated based on a 50 m x50 m grid. Moreover, we examined the impact of co-residence with family members and family responsibilities on the travel behavior of older adults. These factors were incorporated as explanatory variables in a regression model to validate the effectiveness of the modified walkability index.
The preliminary results indicate that older adults typically travel twice per day. They tend to combine community activities with trips related to family responsibilities, such as shopping or picking up and dropping off children. Due to their familial obligations, older women living with their spouses and offspring exhibit lower travel frequency. The impact of the modified walkability index will be examined in the paper. Enhancing the walkable environment can effectively stimulate older adults' willingness to travel and strengthen their social engagement. This study will help policymakers adjust improvement projects to build an aging-friendly old neighborhood facing the aging society.
| Keywords | Aging Society; Walkability Index; Older adults; Daily Travel; Community Planning |
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| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
