Title

Life quality of senior citizens in relation to mobility conditions (SIZE)

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2006

Subject Area

Mobility - Independence, Modes of Transport - Car - Driving, Modes of Transport - Pedestrian, Transport planning - Transport demand

Abstract

All modern societies are undergoing a major demographic transition and a large proportion of the population is becoming older. An ageing population has several consequences for the traffic system, for example: over the next decade the number of senior people holding driving licenses and also the number of seniors owning cars will increase significantly. The greatest rate of increase is expected amongst older women. With advancing age the number of impairments increases – yet mobility is a fundamental prerequisite for maintaining an autonomous living and important for all types of activities outside one's home. Therefore, European policies are aiming at maintaining the mobility of senior citizens. However, environmental and technological barriers can make mobility difficult, particularly for persons with disabilities and for senior citizens, since the prevalence of health injuries and chronic illnesses increases with advancing age. In comparison to younger people, senior citizens have to face more disadvantages in their every day life. This is partly due to the ageing process itself and partly to the physical and social structure of their environment. If preconditions affect mobilitynegatively, a decrease of quality is to be anticipated. The probability of a loss of autonomy, potentially followed by illness and need for help and care will increase. Not least of this reason, it should be the interest of modern welfare states to improve the mobility of senior citizens and to eliminate mobility barriers. To consider the special needs of senior citizens regarding mobility, the project SIZE (Life quality of senior citizens in relation to mobility conditions) had a procedure that helps to understand existing problems of senior citizens with respect to quality of life and mobility conditions. However, mobility and related autonomy are very complex concepts which contain a lot of conditions on different levels of societal development. Therefore, the main task of scientific expertise in this field is to use a strategy of analysis which is capable of integrating these manifold aspects on an empirical basis. The project SIZE had a life-span of 3 years and the general objectives of SIZE were: * To explain and describe the present mobility and transport situation, the problems, needs and wishes of different groups of senior citizens from their own perspective compared with experts’ points of view; * To motivate action by the authorities and other relevant groups in society who are, or feel, responsible in this area; * To identify relevant solutions for existing problems and to provide guidance for setting up and implementing policies aimed at “keeping the elderly mobile”.