scholarly journals Environmental, Individual and Personal Goal Influences on Older Adults’ Walking in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiina Laatikainen ◽  
Mohammad Haybatollahi ◽  
Marketta Kyttä
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Mapping Method ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Physical activity is a fundamental factor in healthy ageing, and the built environment has been linked to individual health outcomes. Understanding the linkages between older adult’s walking and the built environment are key to designing supportive environments for active ageing. However, the variety of different spatial scales of human mobility has been largely overlooked in the environmental health research. This study used an online participatory mapping method and a novel modelling of individual activity spaces to study the associations between both the environmental and the individual features and older adults’ walking in the environments where older adult’s actually move around. Study participants (n = 844) aged 55+ who live in Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland reported their everyday errand points on a map and indicated which transport mode they used and how frequently they accessed the places. Respondents walking trips were drawn from the data and the direct and indirect effects of the personal, psychological as well as environmental features on older adults walking were examined. Respondents marked on average, six everyday errand points and walked for transport an average of 20 km per month. Residential density and the density of walkways, public transit stops, intersections and recreational sports places were significantly and positively associated with older adult’s walking for transport. Transit stop density was found having the largest direct effect to older adults walking. Built environment had an independent effect on older adults walking regardless of individual demographic or psychological features. Education and personal goals related to physical activities had a direct positive, and income a direct negative, effect on walking. Gender and perceived health had an indirect effect on walking, which was realized through individuals’ physical activity goals.

scholarly journals THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT INFLUENCED THE INCIDENCE OF FALLS IN OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN THE UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S292-S292
Author(s):  
Rie Suzuki ◽  
Jennifer Blackwood ◽  
Shailee Shah ◽  
Sabah Ganai ◽  
Kimberly Warden
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Walking Distance ◽  
Health Clinic ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Past ◽  
Underserved Community

Abstract The built environment is commonly cited as a facilitator to local walking. Although health promotion programs targeting physical activity are available, few studies have investigated the associations of the perceived neighborhoods with the incidence of falls in the minority communities. Hence, the purpose of this preliminary study was to understand whether the perceived built environment influenced the fall experiences in older adults living in the underserved community. The preliminary cross-sectional survey was conducted at the regional health clinic in Flint, MI. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed using SAS v8.4. The eligibility criteria included over 65 years old and Flint residents. Of 132 participants, the mean age was 69.75 (SD=5.00). The majority were female (68%), African Americans (80%), single, divorced or widowed (80%), and > GED (84%). The ANOVAs supported that “had fallen in the past year” was associated with “stores are within easy walking distance,” “easy to walk to a transit stop” and “there is a dirt strip that separates the streets from the sidewalks.” The fall experience was more likely to associate with the sedentary lifestyle and the comorbidities such as diabetes, fatigues, muscle spasms, and chronic pain. To summarize, the built environment increased the incidence of falls in the past year. Those who had fallen had poor health conditions. Further studies are needed for older adults to engage in physical activity. It is essential to develop the age-friendly support systems and accommodations to local walking in this community.

scholarly journals Built environment correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in older adults: A comparative review between high and low-middle income countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 277-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Cleland ◽  
Rodrigo Siqueira Reis ◽  
Adriano Akira Ferreira Hino ◽  
Ruth Hunter ◽  
Rogério César Fermino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Low Middle Income Countries ◽  
Comparative Review

scholarly journals Everyday Walking Among Older Adults and the Neighborhood Built Environment: A Comparison Between Two Cities in North America

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Herbolsheimer ◽  
Atiya Mahmood ◽  
Yvonne L. Michael ◽  
Habib Chaudhury
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Walking Behavior ◽  
Metro Vancouver ◽  
Walkable Neighborhood ◽  
Neighborhood Built Environment

A walkable neighborhood becomes particularly important for older adults for whom physical activity and active transportation are critical for healthy aging-in-place. For many older adults, regular walking takes place in the neighborhood and is the primary mode of mobility. This study took place in eight neighborhoods in Metro Portland (USA) and Metro Vancouver (Canada), examining older adults' walking behavior and neighborhood built environmental features. Older adults reported walking for recreation and transport in a cross-sectional telephone survey. Information on physical activity was combined with audits of 355 street segments using the Senior Walking Environmental Audit Tool-Revised (SWEAT-R). Multi-level regression models examined the relationship between built environmental characteristics and walking for transport or recreation. Older adults [N = 434, mean age: 71.6 (SD = 8.1)] walked more for transport in high-density neighborhoods and in Metro Vancouver compared to Metro Portland (M = 12.8 vs. M = 2.2 min/day; p < 0.001). No relationship was found between population density and walking for recreation. Older adults spent more time walking for transport if pedestrian crossing were present (p = 0.037) and if parks or outdoor fitness amenities were available (p = 0.022). The immediate neighborhood built environment supports walking for transport in older adults. Comparing two similar metropolitan areas highlighted that high population density is necessary, yet not a sufficient condition for walking in the neighborhood.

scholarly journals The relationship between the built environment and habitual levels of physical activity in South African older adults: a pilot study

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy L. Kolbe-Alexander ◽  
Kyla Pacheco ◽  
Simone A. Tomaz ◽  
David Karpul ◽  
Estelle V. Lambert
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
South African ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals Translating Urban Walkability Initiatives for Older Adults in Rural and Under-Resourced Communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (17) ◽  
pp. 3041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Klann ◽  
Linh Vu ◽  
Mollie Ewing ◽  
Mark Fenton ◽  
Rachele Pojednic
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Urban Communities ◽  
Community Gardens ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Neighborhood Walkability ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Resource Limited

The built environment can promote physical activity in older adults by increasing neighborhood walkability. While efforts to increase walkability are common in urban communities, there is limited data related to effective implementation in rural communities. This is problematic, as older adults make up a significant portion of rural inhabitants and exhibit lower levels of physical activity. Translating lessons from urban strategies may be necessary to address this disparity. This review examines best practices from urban initiatives that can be implemented in rural, resource-limited communities. The review of the literature revealed that simple, built environment approaches to increase walkability include microscale and pop-up infrastructure, municipal parks, and community gardens, which can also increase physical activity in neighborhoods for urban older adults. These simple and cost-effective strategies suggest great potential for rural communities.

scholarly journals Influence of the built environment of Nanjing’s Urban Community on the leisure physical activity of the elderly: an empirical study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi-jian Wu ◽  
Yanliqing Song ◽  
Hou-lei Wang ◽  
Fan Zhang ◽  
Fang-hui Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Linear Regression Method ◽  
Street Connectivity ◽  
Recreational Physical Activity ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Urbanization and aging are global phenomena that offer unique challenges in different countries. A supportive environment plays an important role in addressing the issues of health behavioral change and health promotion (e.g., prevent chronic illnesses, promote mental health) among older adults. With the development of the socio-ecological theoretical model, studies on the impact of supportive environments on physical activity have become popular in the public health field in the EU and US. Meanwhile, very few Chinese studies have examined the relationship between built environment features and older adults’ physical activity at the ecological level. The purpose of the study is to investigate how the factors part of the built environment of Nanjing’s communities also influence leisure time physical activity among the elderly. Methods Using a socio-ecological model as a theoretical framework, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 399 elderly people from 19 communities in Nanjing, China, using a one-on-one questionnaire to collect data, including participants’ perceived built environment and self-reported physical activity. A multivariate linear regression method was used to analyze the factors influencing their recreational physical activity. Results This study found that compared to older people with low average monthly income, the recreational physical activity of the elderly with average monthly incomes between 1001 and 2000 ¥ (β = 23.31, p < 0.001) and 2001 ¥ or more (β = 21.15, p < 0.001) are significantly higher. After controlling for individual covariates, street connectivity (β = 7.34, p = 0.030) and street pavement slope (β = − 7.72, p = 0.020), we found that two out of ten built environment factors indicators influence their physical activity. The importance of each influencing factor ranked from highest to lowest are monthly average income, street pavement slope, and street connectivity. Other factors were not significantly related to recreational physical activity by the elderly. Conclusions Older adults with a high income were more likely to participate in recreational physical activity than those with a low income. In order to positively impact physical activity in older adults and ultimately improve health, policymakers and urban planners need to ensure that street connectivity and street pavement slope are factored into the design and development of the urban environment.

scholarly journals Physical Activity in Older Adults: An Investigation in a Metropolitan Area of Southern Italy

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Gallè ◽  
Elita Anna Sabella ◽  
Giovanna Da Molin ◽  
Eduardo Alfonso Parisi ◽  
Giorgio Liguori ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Southern Italy ◽  
Sitting Time ◽  
World Health ◽  
Education Levels ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Mean Time

Physical activity (PA) and exercise are fundamental to maintaining health in older adults. World Health Organization guidelines state that older adults should practice at least 150 min/week of moderate/vigorous intensity PA to obtain health benefits. We assessed PA levels among older adults in southern Italy and evaluated possible associated determinants. The study was carried out between September and November 2019 in the metropolitan area of Bari. We collected information from participants over 65 years using a self-administered questionnaire. We investigated associations between sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and inactivity/PA levels. A total of 383 individuals completed the questionnaire. Mean body mass index indicated that 45.4% of participants were overweight. Mean time spent in PA was 476.2 ± 297.8 min/week, with women reporting lower levels than men (370.8 ± 210 vs. 555.2 ± 334.3 min/week, p = 0.08). Weekly sitting time was positively related to age. Attending religious or recreational activities was related to moderate PA. Educational level was positively associated with PA while dog ownership represented an obstacle to achieving recommended PA levels in our population. Participants generally met the recommended levels of PA, especially men; the educational level was the main determinant. Interventions aimed at promoting PA among older adults with lower education levels and women are needed in this setting.

scholarly journals Age-Friendly Built Environment

Encyclopedia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-791
Author(s):  
Hing-Wah Chau ◽  
Elmira Jamei
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
World Health ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Wide Range

Age-friendly built environments have been promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) under the Global Age-friendly Cities (AFC) movement in which three domains are related to the built environment. These are: housing, transportation, outdoor spaces and public buildings. The aim is to foster active ageing by optimising opportunities for older adults to maximise their independent living ability and participate in their communities to enhance their quality of life and wellbeing. An age-friendly built environment is inclusive, accessible, respects individual needs and addresses the wide range of capacities across the course of life. Age-friendly housing promotes ageing in familiar surroundings and maintains social connections at the neighbourhood and community levels. Both age-friendly housing and buildings provide barrier-free provisions to minimise the needs for subsequent adaptations. Age-friendly public and outdoor spaces encourage older adults to spend time outside and engage with others against isolation and loneliness. Age-friendly public transport enables older adults to get around and enhances their mobility. For achieving an age-friendly living environment, a holistic approach is required to enable independent living, inclusion and active participation of older adults in society. The eight domains of the AFC movement are not mutually exclusive but overlap and support with one another.

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