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Barriers to senior citizens' outdoor mobility in Europe

Risser, Ralf LU ; Haindl, Gudrun and Ståhl, Agneta LU (2010) In European Journal of Ageing 7(2). p.69-80
Abstract
The aim of this study was to picture perceived problems amongst older citizens in the traffic environment. Moreover, answers to the question why measures that are known to be efficient concerning the mobility of senior citizens are often not implemented. Eight EU countries participated in the study, involving both senior citizens and experts (researchers, decision makers and practitioners who deal with all aspects of seniors' mobility). Focus group interviews and personal interviews involving 487 senior citizens and 225 experts were carried out in order to chart problems. These were followed by quantitative surveys with 3,309 senior citizens and 490 experts that had the scope to measure the distribution of charted problems in the... (More)
The aim of this study was to picture perceived problems amongst older citizens in the traffic environment. Moreover, answers to the question why measures that are known to be efficient concerning the mobility of senior citizens are often not implemented. Eight EU countries participated in the study, involving both senior citizens and experts (researchers, decision makers and practitioners who deal with all aspects of seniors' mobility). Focus group interviews and personal interviews involving 487 senior citizens and 225 experts were carried out in order to chart problems. These were followed by quantitative surveys with 3,309 senior citizens and 490 experts that had the scope to measure the distribution of charted problems in the population. Finally, five workshops were carried out in order to discuss results and to formulate assumptions why promising measures are not implemented, as it appears. Barriers to mobility are by both experts and senior citizens attributed to traffic and infrastructure characteristics, to legal issues, to vehicle design problems, to inter-personal and inter-generational frictions, to lacking lobby power, but also to individual health problems. In order to improve mobility it is suggested by both senior citizens and experts to enforce vehicle speeds. Both groups also agree that public transport vehicles should be brought into an appropriate standard (low floor vehicles, kneeling busses). Senior citizens more than the experts ask for measures to support the sense of security and safety in the public space (police should be visible, appropriate design of infrastructure, public lighting). (Less)
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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
approach, User-oriented, Mobility preconditions, Quality of life, Senior citizens, Implementation
in
European Journal of Ageing
volume
7
issue
2
pages
69 - 80
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000280907200002
  • scopus:77955712654
ISSN
1613-9380
DOI
10.1007/s10433-010-0146-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c3448345-b838-4f4a-aca0-49a8878f1937 (old id 1676785)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:50:42
date last changed
2022-10-03 12:53:06
@article{c3448345-b838-4f4a-aca0-49a8878f1937,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to picture perceived problems amongst older citizens in the traffic environment. Moreover, answers to the question why measures that are known to be efficient concerning the mobility of senior citizens are often not implemented. Eight EU countries participated in the study, involving both senior citizens and experts (researchers, decision makers and practitioners who deal with all aspects of seniors' mobility). Focus group interviews and personal interviews involving 487 senior citizens and 225 experts were carried out in order to chart problems. These were followed by quantitative surveys with 3,309 senior citizens and 490 experts that had the scope to measure the distribution of charted problems in the population. Finally, five workshops were carried out in order to discuss results and to formulate assumptions why promising measures are not implemented, as it appears. Barriers to mobility are by both experts and senior citizens attributed to traffic and infrastructure characteristics, to legal issues, to vehicle design problems, to inter-personal and inter-generational frictions, to lacking lobby power, but also to individual health problems. In order to improve mobility it is suggested by both senior citizens and experts to enforce vehicle speeds. Both groups also agree that public transport vehicles should be brought into an appropriate standard (low floor vehicles, kneeling busses). Senior citizens more than the experts ask for measures to support the sense of security and safety in the public space (police should be visible, appropriate design of infrastructure, public lighting).}},
  author       = {{Risser, Ralf and Haindl, Gudrun and Ståhl, Agneta}},
  issn         = {{1613-9380}},
  keywords     = {{approach; User-oriented; Mobility preconditions; Quality of life; Senior citizens; Implementation}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{69--80}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Ageing}},
  title        = {{Barriers to senior citizens' outdoor mobility in Europe}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10433-010-0146-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10433-010-0146-4}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}