Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Limited mobility predicts mortality and is a consistent risk factor for disability, social isolation, and cognitive impairment. It is estimated between 60% and 85% of adults globally are not sufficiently active. As health and function decline with ageing, older adults' ability to engage with challenging built environments (e.g., long distances to amenities) is reduced and subsequently, mobility, health and opportunities for social engagement are compromised. It therefore is not surprising to learn that older adults repeatedly report feeling trapped in their own homes and approximately one third of older people leave their homes on average only twice a week. Thus, elements of the built environment (e.g., sidewalks, street lights, benches, public washrooms) are essential elements that support older adults' outdoor mobility. Optimal mobility is evidently an important element of healthy aging. Yet, older adult's perception of their mobility, mobility preservation and how that changes as they age are not well understood. The main objective of my doctoral research will be to improve our understanding of how OAs experience their health and mobility in their communities and what built environment and social environment factors impede, empower, engage and/or support their mobility as they age. I will accomplish this by interviewing community dwelling older adults, as well as collecting physical activity, mobility and built and social environment data on their neighbourhoods over a period of four years. I will work with our interdisciplinary (CIHR funded) research team's strong network of decision maker groups, including health care providers, city planners, policy makers and older adults to create accessible and novel tools that will be used to inform decision making (i.e. promote, implement and design environmental and lifestyle factors that are relevant to older adults mobility needs), and ultimately contribute to their independence, health and mobility.