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Talking while walking: an investigation of perceived neighbourhood walkability and its implications for the social life of older people

Journal of Housing and the Built Environment volume 33, pages 133–150 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

This qualitative research examines the perceived walkability of different neighbourhood built-form patterns and their implications for the social life of older people. The findings suggest that both transport and leisure/exercise walking are more frequent within master-planned communities (MPC) as opposed to conventional suburbs. The main reasons for this are the proximity of destinations, the provision of aesthetically attractive areas, and residents’ feelings of being safe from crime and risk of injury within MPCs. The research reveals that walking within MPCs significantly contributes to more frequent social interactions and the establishment of weak and absent ties among older age residents.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the informative and constructive feedback from both peer reviewers in the process of producing this paper.

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  1. Cities Research Institute, Griffith School of Environment, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Gold Coast, QLD, 4222, Australia

    Sara Alidoust, Caryl Bosman & Gordon Holden

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  1. Sara Alidoust
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  2. Caryl Bosman
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  3. Gordon Holden
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Correspondence to Sara Alidoust.

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Alidoust, S., Bosman, C. & Holden, G. Talking while walking: an investigation of perceived neighbourhood walkability and its implications for the social life of older people. J Hous and the Built Environ 33, 133–150 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-017-9558-1

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Keywords

  • Walkable neighbourhood
  • Master-planned community
  • Conventional suburb
  • Social life
  • Ageing population