Search Policy & Research

Advanced Search

From the Databases

Housing, Mobility and Care Options...

On aarp.org

Read the latest news from the AARP Bulletin.
Find consumer information on Housing, Mobility and Care Options.

Email Newsletter

Get updates on Policy & Research by email.

Topics in Housing, Mobility and Care Options

Transportation

SHOW: Select document type to filter by

All Documents
Research Reports
Fact Sheets
Speeches

News Releases
Congressional Testimony
Legal Dockets
Opinion

SORT BY: Date | Title

In Brief: Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America / Research Report
May 2009— Despite the age tsunami, over two-thirds of transportation planners and engineers have yet to begin considering the needs of older people in their multimodal street planning. This Public Policy Institute In Brief summarizes how Complete Streets can be applied toward road planning and design to increase the safety and availability of older adults’ travel options. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB167)

Planning Complete Streets for an Aging America / Research Report
May 2009— Despite the age tsunami, over two-thirds of transportation planners and engineers have yet to begin considering the needs of older people in their multimodal street planning. This Public Policy Institute research summarizes how Complete Streets can be applied toward road planning and design to increase the safety and availability of older adults’ travel options. (128 pages) (Publication ID: 2009-02)

Going From Good to Great: A Livable Communities Survey in Westchester County, New York / Research Report
April 2009— More than seven in ten residents of Westchester County, New York, rate their community as excellent (14%), very good (26%), or good (31%), according to a recent telephone survey of 800 residents ages 50+. More than nine in ten say it is extremely (27%), very (45%), or somewhat (19%) important for them to remain in their community for as long as possible.

State Budgets & Older Adult Services: 2009 AARP Minnesota Survey / Research Report
April 2009— Education, health, long-term care, and transportation services in Minnesota should receive more funding, according to this survey of registered voters in the state, who also support increasing taxes to support these services. (17 pages)

The Road Ahead: AARP Survey on Community Services in Delaware / Research Report
April 2009— Delaware residents age 35+ have a strong desire to remain in their communities as long as they can, according to this December 2008 survey. Respondents ranked safe neighborhoods, well-designed and maintained streets, supportive services, and good job opportunities as the most important characteristics of a community. (53 pages)

The Road Ahead: AARP Survey on Transportation in Vermont / Research Report
March 2009— Vermont residents may be persuaded to use alternatives to personal vehicle use—the primary mode of transportation in the state—if they can be convinced of the economic and environmental benefits of driving alternatives, according to this December 2008 survey. (39 pages)

Getting From Here to There: The Opinions of Oahu, Hawai'i Residents 50+ on Complete Streets / Research Report
March 2009— Residents age 50+ of Oahu, Hawai'i, support a Complete Streets policy—one that ensures that roads will be designed for all users (including walkers, bikers, and public transportation riders), not only drivers—according to this October 2008 survey. (20 pages)

2008 AARP Driver Safety Program Course Evaluation / Research Report
December 2008— Satisfaction with the AARP Driver Safety Program is very high among program participants, according to this December 2008 survey. Almost all participants (93%) changed at least one key driving behavior and a third of nonmembers said they would be more likely to join AARP because of the course. (20 pages)

Going from Good to Great: Livable Communities Surveys in OH / Research Report
September 2008— Most Ohio residents age 45+ in Clermont County and in the community of Marietta are rooted in their community, satisfied with it, and think it is a good place to retire, according to this 2007-2008 study. However, most also agree that some problems, like street repair and limited public transportation, need to be addressed.

Is the Cost of Gas Leading Americans to Use Alternative Transportation? / Research Report
August 2008— Are older Americans walking more frequently, riding bicycles, or using public transportation to accommodate the high cost of gas? This issue, along with the effects of neighborhood infrastructure on transportation options, is explored in this AARP survey of 1,006 Americans age 50+ (13 pages).

2007 Colorado Transportation Survey: Aging and Mobility / Research Report
May 2008— This series of surveys examines the transportation use, attitudes toward public transportation, and health and disability status of AARP members in Colorado. Findings show that while the vast majority of members are able to drive, those with multiple health and disability problems are the most likely to be isolated and have few transportation alternatives.

2007 AARP Driver Safety Program Online Course Evaluation / Research Report
May 2008— The online AARP Driver Safety Program and AARP itself received high marks from program participants responding to a 2007 survey. Most (88%) indicated they had changed at least one key driving behavior, and many nonmembers said they would be more likely to join AARP because of the course. (27 pages)

In Brief: Opportunities for Creating Livable Communities / Research Report
April 2008— The most common barriers to creating livable communities are examined in this concise summary of an AARP Public Policy Institute report by Mia R. Oberlink of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York’s Center for Home Care Policy and Research. The report offers numerous examples of how communities around the country have realized increased housing and transportation choices for older adults and other community members, serving as an easy, non-technical introduction to how livable communities can be implemented through effective community planning. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB155)

Opportunities for Creating Livable Communities / Research Report
April 2008— The most common barriers to creating livable communities are examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute report by Mia R. Oberlink of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York’s Center for Home Care Policy and Research. The report offers numerous examples of how communities around the country have realized increased housing and transportation choices for older adults and other community members, serving as an easy, non-technical introduction to how livable communities can be implemented through effective community planning. (35 pages) (Publication ID: 2008-02)

2007 AARP Driver Safety Program Course Evaluation / Research Report
January 2008— Satisfaction with the AARP Driver Safety Program and with AARP is very high among program participants, according to a September 2007 survey. Almost all participants (95%) changed at least one key driving behavior and a third of nonmembers said they would be more likely to join AARP because of the course. (20 pages)

2007 Virginia Member Survey / Research Report
January 2008— The views of Virginia AARP members on health care quality, long-term care, caregiving, payday lending, and transportation are explored in this series of six reports, which are based on a July-August mail survey of 790 members in the state aged 50 and older.

State Laws on Volunteer Driver Liability / Fact Sheet
March 2007— Volunteer drivers are a vital resource for many programs that provide transportation services to older adults and people with disabilities. Yet liability issues associated with the use of volunteer drivers can present obstacles to the provision of these services. The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) presents an AARP-funded report and an online U.S. map with state laws and practices related to insurance and liability for volunteer drivers.

A Great City for Older Adults: An AARP Survey on the Strengths and Challenges of Growing Old in Burlington / Research Report
January 2007— Characteristics and factors that make a community livable – and a good place to age in – are explored in this November 2006 AARP telephone survey of 800 age 45+ residents of Burlington, Vermont. It also reveals the challenges the city faces in maintaining its livability as its population ages. (77 pages)

2006 Survey of AARP New Mexico Members / Research Report
November 2006— Findings from a 2006 mail survey exploring and measuring the opinions of AARP members on legislative issues and personal concerns are presented in five individual topical reports concerning affordable housing, consumer financial privacy, long-term care, transportation, and utilities.

Good to Go: Assessing the Transit Needs of New York Metro and Western New York AARP Members / Research Report
October 2006— How and when older New Yorkers get out and about and the factors affecting their mobility are examined in these 2006 random-sample AARP mail surveys of age 75+ AARP members in the New York City metropolitan area and in Western New York.

Traveling the Roads in Rhode Island: An AARP Member Survey / Research Report
October 2006— Perceptions of how easy or difficult it is for older residents to travel to where they need to go in Rhode Island – and what needs to be done to improve the situation – are explored in this Spring 2006 mail survey of 1,063 AARP members in the Ocean State. (28 pages)

2006 Utah Transportation Survey: Aging and Mobility / Research Report
June 2006— The present transportation situations of age 50+ Utahans and how to assure their access to flexible and safe mobility options for going where they need and want to go as they grow older are explored in this Spring 2006 AARP telephone survey of 1,210 Utah residents, including 206 age 85+ and 192 in rural counties.

2005 Massachusetts AARP Driver Safety Program Graduates and Non-Graduates Study / Research Report
May 2006— The differences between AARP members in Massachusetts who have taken an AARP Driver Safety Program course and those who haven’t are explored in this 2005 joint AARP/Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab mail survey of 1,151 AARP members of whom almost half had taken the AARP DSP course and over half had not. (29 pages)

Summary of 2005 AARP Driver Safety Program Graduate Study / Research Report
May 2006— The impact of the AARP Driver Safety Program upon its graduates’ driving habits and changes they made because of what they learned is examined in this May 2005 mail survey of a random sample of 3,512 men and women who had taken the AARP DSP classroom course. (12 pages)

Aging in World Cities / Event
May 2006— AARP Global Aging Program Idea Exchange with Victor Rodwin and Michael Gusmano of the International Longevity Center.

Legislating Mobility Options: A Survey of State Laws Promoting Public Transit, Walking, and Bicyling / Research Report
October 2005— How do state transportation laws promote (or inhibit) mobility options? This AARP Public Policy Institute report, written by Michelle Ernst and Barbara McCann of STTP (Surface Transportation Policy Project), includes a comprehensive assessment of state laws involving public transit, walking, and bicycling; and criteria for measuring probable success of legislative proposals in furthering mobility. (28 pages) (Publication ID: 2005-12)

The Effects of Gasoline Costs On U.S. Residents 50+ / Research Report
October 2005— Due to rising gasoline costs, older Americans are cutting down on driving and other spending. In two AARP polls (of U.S. residents 50+), taken shortly before and after Hurricane Katrina hit the United States, increasing numbers of respondents report that they have limited their daily driving, their travel or vacations, and reduced spending in other areas. (6 pages)

Older Car Owners: The Use Of Their Cars By Others / Research Report
September 2005— Ten percent of car owners age 50 and older report that someone other than a spouse drives their cars, according to a national survey exploring the characteristics and impacts of this practice. Sharon Hermanson of the AARP Public Policy Institute presents survey results in this Data Digest. (6 pages) (Publication ID: DD124)

Community Mobility Options: The Older Person's Interest / Research Report
August 2005— As America ages, an increasing proportion of the population risks becoming immobile and isolated due to a lack of transportation options and loss of driving ability. This AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by Ari Houser looks at the needs of this population and presents a variety of strategies designed to extend the years of independent mobility. (2 pages) (Publication ID: FS44R)

Older Drivers and Automobile Safety / Research Report
August 2005— Drivers 65 and older drive less and have lower crash rates than younger drivers. But above age 70, the number of crashes per mile driven rises substantially. This AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by Ari Houser reviews the data and suggests ways to reduce risks. (2 pages) (Publication ID: FS51R)

AARP South Dakota Members Age 75+ Survey: Needs and Service Use / Research Report
July 2005— AARP MEMBER OPINION RESEARCH: Health and disability status, insurance coverage, nutrition, physical fitness, need for household task assistance, financial ability to pay for prescription drugs, and degree of isolation among the eldest are examined in this 2005 survey of 1,589 age 75+ AARP South Dakota members. (27 pages)

The Impact of Federal Programs on Transportation for Older Adults / Research Report
December 2004— The federal government's role in ensuring older adults’ ability to travel about their communities as they age is examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by David Koffman, Richard Weiner and David Raphael who review federal programs having the greatest direct impact on transportation and older individuals’ mobility. (55 pages) (Publication ID: 2004-17)

In Brief: The Impact of Federal Programs on Transportation for Older Adults / Research Report
December 2004— A succinct summary of the similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by David Koffman, Richard Weiner and David Raphael examining the federal government's role in ensuring older adults’ ability to travel about their communities as they age and reviewing federal programs having the greatest direct impact on transportation and older individuals’ mobility. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB92)

AARP Driver Safety Program Reaches a Milestone - Twenty Five Years and Counting / News Release
December 2004— AARP is keeping American drivers on course as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Driver Safety Program

Texas Member Transportation Survey / Research Report
April 2004— Findings from a survey of AARP members in Texas concerning their preferences and problems related to transportation. (68 pages)

Stranded Without Options: AARP Works to Improve Transportation Services for Older Americans / News Release
March 2004— AARP has a strong interest in making sure older persons have transportation choices that enable them to enjoy a good quality of life.

Statement by AARP State Affairs Director Cheryl Matheis on AMA Physician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers / News Release
August 2003— Statement by AARP State Affairs Director Cheryl Matheis on AMA Physician's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers

Understanding Senior Transportation: Report and Analysis of a Survey of Consumers 50+ / Research Report
March 2002— How older individuals travel in their communities, how much they travel, and the problems they perceive with their various transportation mode choices are examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute report by Anita Stowell Ritter, Audrey Straight and Ed Evans. (74 pages) (Publication ID: 2002-04)

Senior Air Travel Survey / Research Report
January 2002— How adults on both sides of the age 50 divide felt in January 2002 about the air travel security measures that have been initiated since September 11, 2001 in response to terrorist attacks? (11 pages)

Transportation and Older Persons: Perceptions and Preferences - A Report on Focus Groups / Research Report
March 2001— How drivers and non-drivers age 75 and older regard their transportation options and how they stay connected to their communities as they age are examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Joseph Coughlin of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Center for Transportation Studies and Age Lab. (20 pages) (Publication ID: 2001-05)

Coordinated Transportation Systems / Research Report
November 2000— Eight transportation programs that pool their resources in order to provide efficient and affordable community mobility in seven states across the U.S. are analyzed by Jon Burkhardt in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper. (53 pages) (Publication ID: 2000-16)