Transportation use in community-dwelling older adults: association with participation and leisure activities.

Abstract

This article presents a study that compared participation by elderly individuals living in the community according to primary transportation mode used, and estimated the association between transportation, personal factors, and environmental factors. Participants included 90 adults aged 65 and older (M=76.3 years; SD=7.7). They were classified according to their primary transportation mode: driver, passenger, public transport user, walk, or adapted transport/taxi user. Participation was measured with the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) and the Nottingham Leisure Questionnaire (NLQ). Overall, results indicated that drivers, public transport users, and walkers had higher participation levels compared to passengers and adapted transport/taxi users. This study suggests that clinicians should consider older adults' use of transportation in an attempt to encourage and maximize their participation.