LIFE-STYLES AND TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY IN THE FUTURE

Several common views of the transportation requirements of elderly Americans are reviewed, and conclusions are reached regarding the older population of the next two decades. While the elderly of today are relatively dependent on public transportation, live at higher densities, have lower incomes, and travel relatively little compared with other groups, there are indications that the elderly of the future may not be similar. Planners wrongly assume that a decline in mobility occurs with aging because of the aging process itself. Rather, people bring certain long-established life-styles into their old age. The mobility patterns of today's elderly reflect life-styles that were developed decades ago, when mobility was limited for all citizens, regardless of age. By contrast, the elderly of the next 20 years will include many subsurbanites, many drivers, and many who travel a great deal. Planning and forecasting methods for the future transportation needs of the elderly should not be based on the transportation patterns and needs of those who are currently elderly, but should focus more on those who are now in their thirties and forties and will become the elderly of the future. /Author/

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1976/618/618-005.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • http://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=LIFE-STYLES+AND+TRANSPORTATION+NEEDS+OF+THE+ELDERLY+IN+THE+FUTURE&author=M.+Wachs&author=R.+Blanchard&publication_year=1976
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03611981
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Transportation for the Disadvantaged. 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.
• Authors:
  • Wachs, Martin
  • Blanchard, Robert D
• Conference:
  • 55th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1976-1-19 to 1976-1-23
• Publication Date: 1976

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 19-24
• Monograph Title: Transportation issues: the disadvantaged, the elderly, and citizen involvement
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 618
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aged; Forecasting; Mobility; Needs assessment; Transportation; Transportation planning; Travel patterns; Urban transportation
• Subject Areas: Economics; Planning and Forecasting; Society; Transportation (General);

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00163601
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309025974
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Oct 13 1981 12:00AM