Abstract
Nowadays, the elderly tend to make more trips: Health benefits resulting from their daily walking routines are an important topic in the context of urban renewal processes. Many health organizations and researchers have demonstrated the influence of the urban environment on walkability levels. This article aims to design a multifactor Walkability Index for Elderly Health (WIEH), capable of associating both the adequacy level of public spaces to elderly walkability, and physical exercise benefits while walking. The methodological approach comprised two main parts: Firstly, a literature review of main reports, legislation, and scientific articles was conducted at the intersection of ‘gerontology and physical exercise’ with ‘urban design and mobility’, leading to the selection of four aging-related studies as main contributors to the design of the WIEH; and, secondly, the development of the WIEH was undertaken, based on two premises and designed according to four steps. The first premise defined three systematic areas (urban tissue, urban scene, and safety), variables, and criteria to classify the pedestrian network; and the second premise focused on slopes and stairs in public spaces. The WIEH is divided in four steps: (1) Analyzing public spaces and characterizing their quality for walking, (2) considering the existence of slopes and stairs, (3) calculating different routes for the elderly in their daily routines, or when going to points of interest, and (4) selecting the “heart-friendly route” for elderly people. Adequate walking paths for the elderly can be identified through this innovative approach, with the aim of achieving direct health benefits during their daily routines. Ultimately, the WIEH is capable of supporting decision makers and designers in creating inclusive and age-friendly spaces.
Highlights
Nowadays, elderly people tend to travel more, for longer distances, and for various reasons [1,2,3,4]
The results indicate a trend towards an effective urbanism of proximity that can be boosted at the future location of new services
Urban Liveability Index (ULI) scores were positively associated with active transport behaviour: for each unit increase in the ULI score the estimated adjusted odds ratio for: walking increased by 12%; cycling increased by 10%; public transport increased by 15%; and private vehicle transport decreased by 12%
Summary
Elderly people tend to travel more, for longer distances, and for various reasons [1,2,3,4]. A lack of pedestrian mobility policies for the past decades, together with the existence of various barriers in public spaces, led to a continuous decrease of elderly people’s independence This situation seriously influences their quality of life, contributing to a diversity of issues: Depression, social isolation, reduced physical endurance, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, musculoskeletal diseases, mental illness, blindness, and decreased vision; there is an increased risk of falls. Together, these constitute the major causes of mortality among the elderly population [11,12,13]. Residential neighborhoods with better walkability usually have higher levels of active commuting and physical activities, like walking and running [15,16], which lead to the mitigation of different problems (i.e., overweight, depression, alcohol and drug abuse) and contributes to increased sociability [17,18]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
