Senior Citizens Get Around (Metropolitan Report, v1 #2)
April 2000
Senior Citizens Get Around
BMC has released the results of a transportation study that documents the travel patterns and preferences of people 65 and older in the Baltimore region. This was one of the first studies in the United States to document elderly travel characteristics in both the central city and suburbs. The study was conducted by the Ketron Division of the Bionetics Corporation to determine the transportation needs of the growing number of senior citizens in the Baltimore suburbs.
The study clearly shows that 92 percent of the region's Baby Boom parents depend heavily on the private automobile for both short and longer distance travel - either as drivers (58 percent) or as passengers (34 percent).
Based on telephone surveys, travel diaries, and focus groups, the study documented three levels of Elderly Travel Need.
High Need - Seven to eight percent of the region's senior population
- Travel infrequently
- Have a moderate to severe physical disability
- Rely on friends and family for both long and short-distance travel
Moderate Need - 13 percent of suburban seniors, 26 percent of Baltimore City seniors
- Travel somewhat frequently
- Have a mild physical disability
- Have no driver's license, or reduced driving capability
- Rely on friends and family for longer-distance (but not short-distance) travel
Low Need - 79 percent of suburban seniors, 65 percent of Baltimore City seniors
- Travel frequently
- Have no significant physical disabilities
- Do not rely on friends and family
The study also revealed a strong preference for seniors to remain in their own homes. More than 90 percent of elderly respondents plan to remain in place while only 6.6 percent plan to move.
The full study and technical appendices are available from BMC's Regional Information Center. For further information contact W. Earl Long at elong@baltometro.org.
Posted: April 26, 2000
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Last Updated on Monday, 21 November 2005 11:08