MOBILITY OPTIONS FOR SENIORS

Individuals' transition away from driving can be helped by mobility planning and counseling, enabling individuals to identify mobility requirements and try various alternatives before having to use them. Mobility alternatives to the private automobile initially are needed for trips that older drivers prefer to avoid--for example, nighttime driving, congested areas, and peak times. These options help seniors to maintain their dignity, independence, and choice for as long as possible. Patterns of land use, growth of services such as the Internet for shopping and social interaction, and direct delivery of goods will affect the acceptability and viability of transit alternatives. The trend of reduced number of journeys and length of journeys with aging mainly reflects a changing pattern of activities by emphasizing the difference between traveling and having the ability to travel. Seniors who remain active and mobile live longer, while seniors without alternatives may suffer from loneliness and depression. For policy makers and transportation providers, "gray power" is a force to be reckoned with. The seniors of tomorrow will be more affluent, more vocal, and increasingly used to claiming their rights. Because they likely will be more active than previous generations in their retirement, shopping, banking, and recreation trips will continue, and health-related trips are expected to increase. The number of older people is increasing, particularly the number of people age 80 or older. Transportation providers cannot afford to ignore this growing travel market segment.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/conf/reports/cp_27.pdf
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  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309077451
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
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  Transportation Research Board

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• Authors:
  • Suen, S L
  • Sen, L
• Conference:
  • Transportation in an Aging Society: A Decade of Experience
  • Location: Bethesda Maryland, United States
  • Date: 1999-11-7 to 1999-11-9
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 97-113
• Monograph Title: TRANSPORTATION IN AN AGING SOCIETY: A DECADE OF EXPERIENCE. TECHNICAL PAPERS AND REPORTS FROM A CONFERENCE, NOVEMBER 7-9, 1999, BETHESDA, MARYLAND
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Issue Number: 27
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Alternatives analysis; Counseling; Market segmented groups; Mobility; Planning; Policy making; Public transit; Transportation planning
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Policy; Public Transportation; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00974946
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309077451
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Jun 24 2004 12:00AM