Examining alternative community-based transportation services for older adults in British Columbia

Transportation is now recognized as a social determinant of health. And yet the current transportation system is not set up to meet the day-to-day needs of the aging population. Within the next decade, a quarter of the population in BC will be over the age of 65. As the population ages, a decline in cognitive and physical abilities will require people to give up driving. To promote healthy aging, we need to introduce, at scale, a range of reliable alternative transportation services for older adults. The Mitacs intern will work with the United Way and the Provincial Working Group on Seniors’ Transportation to advance our understanding of how older adults in BC navigate the driving cessation process and to identify best practices for alternative, community-based transportation services. The findings will ultimately be used to make recommendations to the Ministry of Health and Ministry Infrastructure and Transportation on how to support the mobility needs of older adults.

Faculty Supervisor:

Meghan Winters

Student:

Partner:

United Way British Columbia

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Other services (except public administration)

University:

Simon Fraser University

Program: