Ageing and mobility

Abstract

An ageing population is a social phenomenon which is affecting different aspects of society and the way it functions, including the transport and mobility sector (Shergold, Lyons, & Hubers, 2015). Analysing mobility in later life is complex due to the dynamics associated with old age. On the one hand older people are increasingly healthier and are remaining much more active and mobile, are licensed to drive, are more educated and are working longer. On the other hand, the highest increase in the older population is within the older-old segment due to the “ageing of ageing” (Rudinger, Donaghy, & Poppelreuter, 2006). The number of people suffering from impairments with a reduced mobility performance is also increasing at a faster rate than ever before. Thus, studies dealing with mobility in later life cover a range of areas such as the analysis of travel patterns, the understanding of transport deficiency, the study of determinants that affect mode choice and travel behaviour as well as the common difficulties that older people face when travelling (see Kim, 2011; Mercado & Páez, 2009; Nakanishi & Black, 2016; Nordbakke & Schwanen, 2015; Siren & Haustein, 2016; Su, Schmöcker, & Bell, 2009).