Characterizing transportation patterns and unmet transportation needs of older adults in Canada: findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Access to transportation is crucial for older adults to connect with family and friends and access health care services, recreational opportunities, and other essential goods and services. And yet the current transportation system is not designed to meet the day-to-day needs of the aging population. Transportation problems are one of the most common barriers, after health problems, that prevent older Canadians from participating in more social, recreational, or group activities. We will use the CLSA dataset to describe the transportation patterns of older adults and to characterize the population that reports transportation barriers for accessing social and leisure opportunities and health care. Findings from this study will help inform transportation policy and program efforts to increase older adults’ access to opportunities within their communities.