Cycling Past 50: A Closer Look into the World of Older Cyclists, Year 4 Survey

This document reports on approximately 5,000 responses to a North American survey of older adults who cycle. The survey, open from August 2021 through March 2022, included questions that captured a person’s cycling over their life course, as well as their current cycling styles, habits, and preferences. Responses reflect the impact of various factors on an older adult’s cycling habits with respect to their ability and agility and their expectation to continue cycling. The survey asked about falls and near misses in the past-year coding fall descriptions into six categories and sorting them by the respondent’s gender and age. The survey’s Visual Preference questions offered photos of cycling contexts and asked respondents to select four to six options for traveling within each context, then scored its safety and comfort level between 1 and 5. Key takeaways include: many older adults can continue to cycle as they age by using a different bicycle, establishing a different expectation with regard to cycling, finding others to cycle with, and using safe and comfortable cycling facilities. Survey questions about e-bikes, adult trikes, and tandems show the variety of bicycle types available, but point to the need for higher-capacity bikeways and education about sharing bikeways safely. The report ends with several issues for further consideration, including risks for older cyclists of color, ways that caregiving can enhance or reduce cycling benefits, and how injury recovery can affect a return to cycling, or not. The population of older adults is growing, and examining the needs of this group ensures a community’s ability to create environments conducive to equitable mobility for all

Cycling Past 50: A Closer Look into the World of Older Cyclists

This document reports on 2,300 responses to a nationwide survey of older adults who cycle. The survey, open from February through September 2020, includes questions about a rider’s cycling history, current cycling habits, and falls. It includes a visual preference survey of various cycling facilities and an online journaling option for two rides subsequent to completing the survey (results of the online journals will be available in the summer 2021). Responses reflect the impact of COVID-19 on older adults’ cycling habits, the impact of aging on ability and agility, the impact of the built environment, types of bicycles, and opportunities to cycle with others. Responses were analyzed by gender and age. Questions such as cycling frequency and falls were compared to a modified version of Geller’s four types of cyclists. Key take-aways include: Many older adults will need to adapt to their changing cycling abilities with a different bicycle, a different expectation about their cycling experience, and local programs to encourage sustained cycling. A fair number of respondents learned to cycle as an adult which suggests that local programs can also encourage older adults to learn to ride and how to select a bicycle. Lower cycling rates may result from not having a bikeable or proper-fitting bicycle, or the money to fix or purchase a bike. Questions posed for further consideration include: Can education and outreach help reduce near misses? Can planning and engineering help reduce near misses, especially in areas where more older adults cycle? How can falls due to poor infrastructure or maintenance or the actions of others be reduced

Enhancing Older Adults’ Mobility in Active Living and Tiered Living Communities

The U.S. population is aging rapidly. As people get older, they increasingly face issues such as increased susceptibility to injuries and the need to be assisted with many day-to-day activities. Older adults have the opportunity to opt-in to live in an older adult community (OAC) based on their needs and capabilities. This study comprehensively reviews existing governing development regulations and design criteria related to the older adults’ communities, conducts surveys among people involved with some of these communities in California, and recommends improvements to community design for active living and tiered living communities. This study proposes a new scoring system to evaluate the overall life-space mobility of OACs and the surrounding areas. For each of the ten communities within California, the area\u27s Active Mobility Infrastructure (AMI), both inside and outside, and Permeability (PERM) are assessed. Furthermore, the study aims to comprehend how residents feel about the available facilities and how they are utilized through a survey that includes questions regarding how frequently residents partake in active transportation within and outside their communities and assesses residents’ financial and educational standings. Using Welch’s T-Test, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient, and a Multinomial Logit Regression model, this study addresses three questions: (1) Are there any statistically significant differences in the transportation connection qualities within and surrounding the older adult communities perceived by their residents? (2) Are there strong correlations between the quality of transport connections and the walking frequency of the residents? (3) What are the main influential factors of walking frequency? The findings from this research can aid transportation professionals in improving the governing development regulations and associated design criteria for better person-environment fit in older living communities

Understanding Mobility-Related Challenges for AAPI Older Adults: A Preliminary Study in Southern California

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) Nationwide, the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is projected to constitute 11 percent of people 65 years and older in the United States by 2050 (He et al., 2005). The challenges limiting the transportation and mobility of AAPI older adults include, but are not limited to, language barriers, cultural barriers, anti-Asian hate, accessibility to public transit, traffic safety and public security concerns, and changes to mobility due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This project conducted an extensive literature review and a preliminary multi-language survey in Southern California to better understand mobility-related challenges for Asian American and Pacific Islander older adults. The results of this project can provide government agencies and organizations with recommendations for policy and program changes to benefit AAPI older adults and the broader communities

Enhancing Older Adults\u2019 Mobility in Active Living and Tiered Living Communities

ZSB12017-SJAUXThe U.S. population is aging rapidly. As people get older, they increasingly face issues such as increased susceptibility to injuries and the need to be assisted with many day-to-day activities. Older adults have the opportunity to opt-in to live in an older adult community (OAC) based on their needs and capabilities. This study comprehensively reviews existing governing development regulations and design criteria related to the older adults\u2019 communities, conducts surveys among people involved with some of these communities in California, and recommends improvements to community design for active living and tiered living communities. This study proposes a new scoring system to evaluate the overall life-space mobility of OACs and the surrounding areas. For each of the ten communities within California, the area's Active Mobility Infrastructure (AMI), both inside and outside, and Permeability (PERM) are assessed. Furthermore, the study aims to comprehend how residents feel about the available facilities and how they are utilized through a survey that includes questions regarding how frequently residents partake in active transportation within and outside their communities and assesses residents\u2019 financial and educational standings. Using Welch\u2019s T-Test, Pearson\u2019s Correlation Coefficient, and a Multinomial Logit Regression model, this study addresses three questions: (1) Are there any statistically significant differences in the transportation connection qualities within and surrounding the older adult communities perceived by their residents? (2) Are there strong correlations between the quality of transport connections and the walking frequency of the residents? (3) What are the main influential factors of walking frequency? The findings from this research can aid transportation professionals in improving the governing development regulations and associated design criteria for better person-environment fit in older living communities

Cycling Past 50: A Closer Look into the World of Older Cyclists, Year 4 Survey [Research Brief]

This report provides results of the 50+ Cycling Survey, Year 4. The survey, which began in late 2017, captures information on cycling habits, preferences and experiences of older adults who cycle. Taken as a whole, the 5,000-plus survey responses provide a rich database of information about older cyclists. The responses help answer questions such as who is cycling, when do they cycle and where, how far do they go, and how often. The analysis is premised on the fact that cycling remains a benefit for older adults. It contributes to their physical and mental well-being and offers mobility independence regardless of their ability to continue driving a motor vehicle. Thus, the analysis in this report can be used by transportation planners and engineers, public health professionals, those working on physical activity and wellness for older adults, cycling and aging policy advocates, and older adults themselves and their families

Cycling Past 50: A Closer Look into the World of Older Cyclists, Year 4 Survey

69A3551747127This document reports on approximately 5,000 responses to a North American survey of older adults who cycle. The survey, open from August 2021 through March 2022, included questions that captured a person\u2019s cycling over their life course, as well as their current cycling styles, habits, and preferences. Responses reflect the impact of various factors on an older adult\u2019s cycling habits with respect to their ability and agility and their expectation to continue cycling. The survey asked about falls and near misses in the past-year coding fall descriptions into six categories and sorting them by the respondent\u2019s gender and age. The survey\u2019s Visual Preference questions offered photos of cycling contexts and asked respondents to select four to six options for traveling within each context, then scored its safety and comfort level between 1 and 5. Key takeaways include: many older adults can continue to cycle as they age by using a different bicycle, establishing a different expectation with regard to cycling, finding others to cycle with, and using safe and comfortable cycling facilities. Survey questions about e-bikes, adult trikes, and tandems show the variety of bicycle types available, but point to the need for higher-capacity bikeways and education about sharing bikeways safely. The report ends with several issues for further consideration, including risks for older cyclists of color, ways that caregiving can enhance or reduce cycling benefits, and how injury recovery can affect a return to cycling, or not. The population of older adults is growing, and examining the needs of this group ensures a community\u2019s ability to create environments conducive to equitable mobility for all

Guidelines for Providing Access to Public Transportation Stations

This report provides a process and spreadsheet-based tool for effectively planning for access to high capacity transit stations, including commuter rail, heavy rail, light rail, bus rapid transit (BRT), and ferry. The report is accompanied by a CD that includes the station access planning spreadsheet tool that allows trade-off analyses among the various access modes (automobile, transit, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit-oriented development) for different station types. The potential effectiveness of transit-oriented development opportunities to increase transit ridership is also assessed. This report and accompanying materials are intended to aid the many groups involved in planning, developing, and improving access to high capacity transit stations, including public transportation and highway agencies, planners, developers, and affected citizens

Enhancing Older Adults\u2019 Mobility in Active Living and Tiered Living Communities [Research Brief]

By 2030, there will be 10.8 million adults aged 60 and above in California, making up 25% of the state\u2019s population. Quality of life for older people depends on their ability to move around, called \u201clife-space mobility\u201d. Studies show that older adults with more mobility are more active and have better health, which leads to a better quality of life. Older adults frequently need special housing that helps them stay active and involved in social, economic, and civic life. There are two main types of housing for older adults: active living communities and tiered living communities. However, older adults are often ignored when it comes to transportation planning, and their housing communities are not designed to fit their needs. This study looks at the regulations and design criteria of older adult communities in California, asks people about their experiences, and suggests improvements to make the communities better. The goal is to help California be ready for the significant increase in older adults in the coming years