11. Alternative Transportation of Older Adults

Abstract

An overview of selective studies that depict an emerging need for alternative and secure transportation means for older adults. According to the American Community Survey, the older adult population is growing at an exponential rate. The "greying effect" which projects 1 and 6 Americans will be an older adult by 2040 has caused the agendas of major institution to consider the effects on current health and family systems. The predicted strain has infused a particular interest in the transportation crisis older adults face consistently in rural and urban communities. The studies aim to identify the transportation needs of older adults, the support required to maintain their lifestyles after cessation of driving, and the social burden currents systems sustain when older adults have little to none access to reliable transportation. The studies primary method included questionnaire, and in- person interviews, which also provide in-depth analysis to the obstacles that providers, families, and institutions face in meeting the transportation need of older adults.