Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Elderly & Disabled

5 Things People Want From Transit as They Grow Older

By Angie Schmitt | Aug 4, 2017 | 3 Comments

America is aging -- by 2030, 20 percent of the population will be 65 or older, up from 14 percent today. It's a demographic shift with big implications for urban transportation. Older Americans drive less but still want to get out and experience their cities.

Seniors are crossing dangerous streets in suburban Las Vegas because the nearest crosswalk is just too far away for them. Image: KTNV-TV

Seniors in the Vegas Suburbs Have to Cross Merciless Streets

By Stephen Miller | May 23, 2017

Senior citizens in the sprawling Las Vegas suburb of Henderson want a safe way to cross the street. The city promises a fix is on the way, but the problem is far bigger than a single crossing.

Portland's program will make several types of adaptive bikes available for short-term rentals. Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland via Better Bike-Share Partnership

Portland — And Soon, Detroit — Bring Bike-Share to People With Disabilities

By Stephen Miller | May 11, 2017 | 10 Comments

Riding a bicycle is too often thought of as an activity that's off-limits for many disabled people. And that has continued to be the case with the bike-share systems getting off the ground in several American cities, which provide standard bicycles meant for the able-bodied. But that's starting to change, thanks to a yearlong effort in Portland that's the first of its kind in the United States.

Study Links Walkable Neighborhoods to Prevention of Cognitive Decline

By Angie Schmitt | Nov 12, 2014 | 8 Comments

Older adults who live in walkable neighborhoods stay in better shape, physically and mentally, than those who live in car-dependent areas, according to a new study. In a study presented last weekend to the Gerontological Society of America, University of Kansas assistant professor Amber Watts examined 26 subjects with mild Alzheimer’s Disease and 30 healthy control subjects. She […]

Study: Baby Boomers Living in Cities Are More Socially Active

By Angie Schmitt | May 2, 2014

As Baby Boomers age, cities seems to be better places for them to get the social interaction they seek, according to a new study published in the Journal of Transport Geography. Using special formulas meant to eliminate the “self-selection bias,” researchers from MIT compared the travel habits of Boomers who live in suburban and urban parts […]

Richard Florida: Seniors Want Vibrant, Livable Cities Too

By Katie Pearce | Jun 7, 2013 | 2 Comments

When he settled on Miami as his designated spot to escape Toronto winters, urbanist Richard Florida said he expected “all young people with a lot of gel in their hair.” What surprised him was finding a pocket of baby boomer urbanites from cities like Washington, DC, who came to Miami for its arts, diversity and […]

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