Demographic ageing has become a pervasive societal phenomenon in most countries. This is largely the result of increased lifespans and declines in fertility, two trends that have contributed to upending the traditional demographic pyramid. One important aspect of ageing successfully is the ability to remain engaged and to be able to satisfy all necessities of daily life, such as grocery shopping, recreation, medical appointments, and social engagements. However, ageing often implies at least some loss of functional abilities which in turn result in stricter capacity constraints for mobility – which denies to many older adults the benefits of mobility on the one hand, and the benefits of reaching destinations on the other.

 

The living environment is acknowledged to be closely associated, from a geographical perspective, with the mobility of older people. Relevant contexts of the living environment can be decomposed into the built environment, social environment, cultural norms and values, and institutions. An emphasis on physical planning means that the built environment dimension has received much more attention. In contrast, the social, cultural, and institutional dimensions have been examined less frequently and less directly. Another area of interest in terms of new strategies for managing living environments is the potential of new and disruptive technologies – autonomous vehicles (AVs) and newer modality styles (e.g. car/bike-sharing schemes and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) – that can extend the functional life of older adults. Some of these developments open opportunities for possibly improving the mobility of older adults, helping to face potential social exclusion challenges. They may avail wider and more convenient transport opportunities. On the other hand, the ageing population may be less technology-savvy and adapt more slowly or not at all to these new technologies and styles of mobility. An age-related technological divide may prevent older people from fully benefitting from said developments. However, quite limited empirical studies exist to support any contentions about the possible impacts of emerging technologies and services on the mobility of older adults.

 

This special issue will prioritise empirical investigations and analytical advances examining the impacts of living environments, new mobility technologies and modality on the mobility of older adults. We welcome contributions from different parts of the world on, but not limited to, the following topics:

 

 

Guidelines for manuscript submission can be found at: https://www.elsevier.com/journals/journal-of-transport-geography/0966-6923/guide-for-authors.When submitting your manuscript, please choose “VSI: Elderly’s mobility” for “Article Type”. This is to ensure that your submission will be considered for this Virtual Special Issue instead of being handled as a regular paper.

 

Papers will be reviewed upon submission through the open window (April 1st, 2020 – October 1st, 2020), and a decision for each paper will be made as soon as the review process is completed. Articles will – once accepted – appear in a regular issue as well as clustered online in a Virtual Special Issue. The articles are simultaneously grouped in an online virtual issue accessible and navigable on ScienceDirect. Therefore, early submission is encouraged for an early decision and publication. Below are the deadlines for paper submission and reviews.

 

 

Prospective authors can contact the guest editors for feedback and comments about the topics of the papers. For any queries please feel free to contact the guest editors: