MOBILITY AND AGING IN PLACE EXPERIENCE IN URBAN SETTINGS AMONG OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN COHOUSING AND NORC

This presentation shares findings of a multi-case study of the influence of the social and physical environments of home and neighbourhood on the processes of aging in place. Twenty older adults living in three cohousing and two Naturally Occurring Retirement Community (NORC) in British Columbia, Canada were recruited to conduct photovoices and semi-structured interviews. Data was collected and analyzed adopting the constructivist grounded theory methodology. Findings show that mobility was central to participants’ experience of the neighbourhood. Walking was the most common form of mobility in the older adults’ experience of their neighbourhoods. Purposes for walking included physical activity, active transportation, and social engagement. Findings suggest that the walking distances varied based on the purpose and factors such as proximity of services and amenities, while terrain and weather impacted their mobility levels. A typology of neighbourhood definitions based on how older adults move in their neighbourhoods is discussed.