Mobility: Indicator or Determinant of Aging and Impairment?

This paper summarizes U.S. research on the relationship between transportation services and mobility among the elderly and disabled, questioning if the elderly and disabled travel less because they want to or because they must. An analysis of over 30 years of U.S. studies gives little clear evidence of how much the current travel patterns of either the elderly or the handicapped reflect mobility losses. We cannot clearly separate the decline in travel which comes from a reduced desire to engage in activities outside the home from a genuine loss of mobility. At the same time, we underestimate the loss of mobility facing those who can occasionally drive. The data do definitely show that both the elderly and the disabled seek to keep their independence through mobility as long as possible and that both personal factors are related to choice. Even the most disabled of travelers seek to maintain a repertoire of transportation options, allowing them to choose, for each trip, the travel mode that meets their individual emotional, physical, financial, and trip-related constraints. Both because we are unable to clearly determine the extent of unmet needs, and because the disabled and elderly clearly want and need choices, the research suggests that mobility and independence can only realisticallly be enhanced by offering freedom of choice-including less restrictive criteria for using special services and expanding the use of the private car.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/2857823479
• Corporate Authors:

  Institut National de Recherche sur les Transports et leur Securite (INRETS)

  2 Avenue du General Malleret-Joinville
  Arcueil Cedex,   France  F-94114
• Authors:
  • Rosenbloom, Sandra
• Conference:
  • The 6th International Conference. Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons
  • Location: Eurexpo-Lyon , France
  • Date: 1992-5-31 to 1992-6-3
• Publication Date: 1992

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 86-96
• Monograph Title: Mobility and Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Aged; Mobility; Mode choice; Persons with disabilities; Transportation; Travel demand; Travel modes
• Identifier Terms: Transed
• Uncontrolled Terms: Impairments; Options
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Planning and Forecasting; Safety and Human Factors; Transportation (General); I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01083095
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 2857823479
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Dec 27 2007 8:25AM