Maintaining the mobility of older Canadians: Examining the transition from driving to driving cessation

Safe mobility is critical for people aged 65+ to help maintain quality of life, happiness and well-being. Being able to move beyond one’s home as an older adult requires consideration of transportation needs and preferences. This research aims to address a significant gap in evidence with respect to aging and mobility by examining older adults’ perceptions, preferences and needs in relation to driving and to accessing other modes of transport that could become more important as people age and as technologies evolve. Examples include public and/or accessible transit, ride-sharing services, self-driving and connected vehicles. Underlying this objective is a need to further understand factors that influence the decision to cease driving and shift altogether to other transportation modes. To this end, a comprehensive survey instrument is being designed and implemented for a sample of older adults in Hamilton, Ontario. Results are expected to have a real impact on how local transportation systems are designed for the older users of today and tomorrow. Moreover, the research outputs from this work will provide a template that other municipalities in Ontario, across Canada and elsewhere can employ to help understand the mobility needs of older adults.

“Funding from the Labarge Centre will help to provide considerable insight on the transition to driving cessation as people age and how other travel modes and technologies can compensate to preserve personal mobility of older Canadians outside the home.”