A scoping review of the daily mobilities of older adults in the Global South

Abstract

Results show three dominant themes related to daily mobilities of older adults in the Global South: trip mode choice, unmet mobility needs, and socio-economic aspects of mobility.• Elderly in the Global South are generally more reliant on public transport, and aspects such as employment, living arrangements, caregiving relationships, and social networks intersect mobility opportunities. • There is a need for more longitudinal, qualitative, and/or mixed methods mobility studies that promote the participation of older adults in the Global South and avoid "one-size fits all" approaches.This review examines the current state of the literature on the daily mobility patterns of older adults in the Global South to discover what is known and uncover dominant themes. We used a scoping review approach to search literature in geography and other allied disciplines that primarily focus on elderly daily travel behaviours and related studies. We included 57 papers to review and identified three dominant themes across them: trip mode choice, unmet mobility needs, and socio-economic aspects of mobility. Results show that the elderly in the Global South, in contrast to their peers in the Global North, walk and use public transportation more frequently than personal vehicles. Some common unmet mobility needs of the elderly in the Global South include safety concerns, gender inequalities, and unequal access to public transportation. Socio-economic aspects that influence elderly mobilities include employment status, living arrangements, caregiving relationships, and social networks. We conclude that there is a need for more mobility studies that promote the participation of older adults in the Global South and that use longitudinal, qualitative, and/or mixed method approaches. Lastly, transportation policies should address specific elderly needs and avoid "one-size fits all" approaches.