Critical Thinking: Understanding Travel and Movement among the Elderly - Article Analysis Essay

Introduction

In "An investigation into the factors influencing travel needs during later life: Luiu Et al. (2016) proposes a conceptual framework that relies on interrelated domains in the evaluation of factors influencing the satisfaction of travel needs among the elderly. Out-of-home travel requirements among the older populations are influenced and shaped by linked domains such as demographics, health, wellbeing, environment, activities and transportation. Luiu et al. (2016) apply this framework to a case study of Birmingham, the second city in the UK in terms of older populations. The ability and importance of mobility to the wellbeing of the elderly are the drivers of the study. The fulfilment of travel needs among older populations is affected issues such as an individual's wellbeing and health as well as access to a car.

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Primary Purpose of the Article

The primary aim of this article was to investigate factors that influence travel needs among older populations. With regard to both unfulfilled and realised mobility, the article wants to understand the forces behind the increasing travel needs among older people and how they are met. A niche rarely explored but that with a gap in the study. Most studies done on travel and investments are largely influenced by the youth and young adults who are expected to have a busy social life's and influenced by the two-generation economic status. However, as the world changes from time to time and the reproduction is more controlled a shift in population age that will demand more transport or else creating a gap not filled is discovered. In about two decades, a vast demographic alteration is expected in the western countries' due to issues such as the declining birth rates, increasing life expectancy and the ageing of older generations. This population shift will result in an ageing population that will be significantly be affected by the transport system.

The article aims at examining issues or activities that inspire requirements for movement during the later stages of human life. While a large number of the ageing population is realised a need for transport that is more sophisticated and convenient due to age-related factors becomes of interest to travel investors. As a result of health, travel patterns and background differences, offering transportation channels that satisfy the travel requirements of older citizens will become more problematic. Understanding the forces that influence older members of society to move from one point to another is key to satisfying their travel needs. Since people have different life stories and experiences, the purpose of this study was to understand the common factors that influence different older adults to travel.

Key Questions

The critical question asked by the author in the article is; what are the issues that cause older people to travel? The author wanted to know what makes older citizens travel from one location to the other (Luiu et al., 2016). People age differently; some age early, while others take longer to age physically. As a result of this difference in physical aging, people end up having different travel patterns, activates, health status and wellbeing. The author wishes to understand how the travel requirements of the older populations are designed.

The author's question is important to not only ask but also answer because, in the next few decades, the majority of western countries will have an aging population. Unlike the past, the current generations view marriage as an outdated trend, which has directly affected birth rates. Declining birth rates among the current generation in Europe means that the majority of the population is aging, without new-borns to replace those (Luiu et al., 2016). It is vital to answer the question because an understanding of what influences travel needs among the elderly is key in addressing travel issues in future.

The Most Important Information

According to the author, the significant factors that inspire travel needs among the older populations include one's health conditions and access to a car (Luiu et al., 2016). Variables related to health impact both unfulfilled and realised mobility among older people in different ways. Almost fifty per cent of the older citizens in western countries cite health as their significant travel influence. Impairments related to mobility such as arthritis, reduced mobility in feet, and joint pains are among the factors that affect travel requirements. As a result, these impairments among the older populations result in their minimal use of public transport due to the boarding and alighting tasks (Luiu et al., 2016).

Regarding access to a car, difficulty in landing a lift affects the activity frequency of older citizens when they cannot drive anymore. In order to fully satisfy their travel needs, older people prefer switching from being the driver to a passenger when carrying out daily activities (Luiu et al., 2016). In most cases, the majority of non-driving older populations who have access to a car in their household get a lift whenever they want.

Main Assumptions

The primary assumption taken by the author is that out-of-home movement requirements are majorly influenced by both the available travel options and the transport environment. Since people are different and unique beings, their experiences and needs are also different. Every age group has social, health and economic need s that vary. Hence creating a variance in demand for travel needs while youths love technology and luxury, the older generations are into comfort and safety, among other things. As a result, factors that influence travel requirements of one older citizen will be different from the other. Assuming that both transport options and environment influence travel needs, more than other factors can be misleading since people are different.

Another assumption is that all older populations have travel needs that are influenced by different factors. As people age, they become less active travellers and often prefer to do the task within their homesteads. There exist older citizens who cannot travel or perform any activity outside their households, and therefore, nothing will affect their travel needs because they are not present. These people's needs are taken care of by other members of the family or hired care, who take up their travel needs. The assumption might be right; however, other factors are at play such as improved health for an older generation due to improved living habits such as proper nutrition and exercise activities that have shown positive results towards the aging population. Healthy living people have more life to carry on with their duties despite age, factors that make travel eligible to this group.

Implications of Taking Authors Reasoning Seriously

Suppose people take the authors line of thinking seriously. In that case, it will be easier to understand travel needs influencers among the elderly, as well as how to avoid and address travel issues if they arise. The authors reasoning will allow people to carefully study, understand the overall needs of members of their family, and offer help. The author believes that the satisfaction of the travel needs among the older population in western countries is majorly due to health, wellbeing and access to a car. Following this line of reasoning can as well result in people neglecting other factors that influence older people's travel, citing them as unnecessary.

Implications of Not Taking Author's Reasoning Seriously

The authors reasoning is based on health and wellbeing as well as access to a car as the primary influencers of old peoples travel needs. Failing to follow this reasoning can be beneficial because concentrating on only a few travel influencers can result in neglecting other essential factors such as the area of residence. Disagreeing with the authors reasoning can as well lead to future unpreparedness when addressing travel issues among the elderly.

Conclusion

The investigation of travel needs influencers among the older populations is essential to both the field of health and transport. Policymakers in transport to ensure that the travel needs of older citizens are met can use this article. As it gives, a detail review of possible factors that cause change and influence travel and the likely hood of an upcoming market for elderly population travel. A niche less explored yet with a promising market if all requirement for the gained population is met. The article is essential to travel and movement among older adults because it offers an understanding of how these needs are influenced. With the declining birth rates and rising life expectancies, this article is vital in addressing the needs that will face the majority of western countries in the next few decades.

Works Cited

Luiu, Carlo, Miles Tight, and Michael Burrow. "An investigation into the factors influencing travel needs during later life." Journal of Transport & Health 11 (2018): 86-99. http://pureoai.bham.ac.uk/ws/files/56015842/An_investigation_into_the_factors_influencing_travel_needs_during_later_life.pdf