MESsAGE - Mobility and the Elderly: Successful Ageing in a Sustainable Transport System
Overview
Background & policy context:
For the elderly, mobility is a precondition for a high quality life. Pursuing transportation autonomy among elderly has become an important task for local policy makers. Traffic safety, accessibility and availability of transport means, the design of the public space are important features. Next to the social aspects, the economic aspects also play an important role: e.g. the additional costs of a tailor made transportation system for elderly persons versus savings on home services and health care costs.
Objectives:
MESsAGE aims to contribute to the extension of the transportation autonomy of older people and to increase the use of sustainable transport modes within this target group.
Therefore, young senior citizens need to be made more aware of the possibilities to organise their lives in a way to lengthen their transportation autonomy.
Local policy makers must be addressed to raise awareness about specific mobility needs of elderly persons. These needs have to be translated into concrete mobility measures on the field.
Methodology:
The different steps and work packages (WP) in the project are:
- WP 1: Literature review and refinement of research plans
- WP 2: Quantitative research: Analysis of surveys on mobility behaviour and needs assessment among elderly
- WP 3: Qualitative research: Focus group interviews with senior citizens
- WP4: Action research: Pilot tests on participatory methods with elderly
- WP 5: Integration research conclusions & policy recommendations
Share this page