Community-based Transportation and Outdoor Mobility for Older Adults: A Literature Synthesis and Case Study

This capstone project is a synthesis of literature on transportation alternatives for older adults. Database searches resulted in 112 relevant articles grouped across three categories: older adult driving and supports for transitioning to non-driver status; community-based transportation options for older adults with mobility impairments; transportation planning and advocacy for older adults. The findings demonstrate that citizen-led neighbourhood-based options such as community-based micro transit and volunteer driver programs facilitate access of older adults. Function, comfort, and safety of older adults are important aspects in neighbourhood design. Regulatory and financial incentives, street infrastructure upgrades and older adult empowerment and advocacy programs facilitate the transition of older adults to an active transportation lifestyle from a car-focused one. Projects that take an integrated, multi-sectoral approach are more successful in diffusion of transportation alternatives at the community level than single sector approaches. A focused case study on neighbourhood barriers and facilitators complements the literature synthesis findings.