Understanding built environments in rural and urban communities to promote social participation and health of older adults

In recent years increasing attention has been paid toward healthy aging and the built environment, yet the relationship between healthy aging and the built home environment is not well understood. Although the positive influence of social activity on health is now well-established, which aspects of the physical environment (the home and the neighbourhood) facilitates social involvement later in life is less clearly understood. The overall aim of this current project is to examine social participation and health of older adults in relation to the built and sociocultural contexts in which they occur. To this end, this study explores data from the CLSA to better understand the influence of the built environment on the social participation of older Canadians and identify gaps in knowledge.