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

Understanding Physical Activity Differences Among Older Adults: Validating a Proposed Typology of Physical Activity as a Tool to Increase Physical Activity by Older Adults

Objective Being physically active as one ages benefits both physical and mental health and remains a public health need. A typology to understand older adults’ PA level and intentions can be vital to developing strategies to promote PA. Methods The researchers developed a comprehensive interview guide and interviewed adults 50 years and older ( n=232) to test the validity of the four-type typology (1). Frail, (2). Ambivalent, (3). Aspiring, (4). Active). Results The Kruskal–Wallis test and the Bonferonni post hoc analysis indicated that there were significant differences between types and for each PA category measured, revealing a continuum of PA levels by type and confirmed the four types within this continuum. Discussion The validated typology and the associated tool can be used to identify and implement built environment improvements and interventions aimed to support PA needs of older adults. </jats:sec

Changes to Physical Activity Levels in Adults Aged 50+ in the First Six Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to qualitatively explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults’ PA nearly 6 months into the pandemic. Approximately 230 interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of participants (22.1% Black and 10.8% Hispanic). Data were transcribed in fall 2020 and analyzed using NVivo 12. Overall, most older adults (54.6%) interviewed reported no change in their PA, often reporting that their work kept them active. Decreases in PA for older adults (42.7%) were attributed to little social connectedness and stay-at-home restrictions. The few reporting an increase in PA (2.6%) had more time available to be active, including setting goals while staying home. This data provides an insight on how COVID-19 impacted PA levels for older adults. These findings can inform tailored interventions to promote PA during the pandemic. </jats:p

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