Successful aging takes on an array of attributes, including optimal health and community participation. Research indicates that (1) persons with disabilities, including age-related disabilities, report frequent barriers to community participation, including unsuitable building design (43%), transportation (32%), and sidewalks/curbs (31%), and (2) many seniors report an inability to cross roads safely near their homes. This paper attempts to define mobility-related elements that contribute to optimal health and quality of life, within the context of successful aging. It then examines the impacts of community design on individual mobility, delving into which traditional and nontraditional actors—including architects, urban planners, transportation engineers, occupational therapists, and housing authorities—play critical roles in ensuring that community environments serve as facilitators (rather than barriers) to mobility. As America ages, mobility challenges for seniors will only increase unless both traditional aging specialists and many nontraditional actors make a concerted effort to address the challenges. 1. Introduction The elderly population in the United States has grown from 3 million in 1900 to 39 million in 2008, with a projected growth to almost 90 million by 2050 [1]. Older age has been associated with increased prevalence of chronic diseases [2] and sensory impairments [3]; changes in cognitive processing time [4]; alterations in balance and stamina [5]; increases in falls, fall-related injuries, and death [5, 6]. Mobility can mitigate some of the negative health consequences of aging and promote social interactions critical to aging successfully; therefore, it is essential to create environments that encourage safe mobility. Unfortunately, current research indicates that many older Americans live in communities that hinder rather than facilitate safe mobility. Analysis of data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) 2002 National Health Interview Survey indicates that the largest proportion of persons with disabilities, including age related, reported that their most frequent barriers to community participation included unsuitable building design (43%), transportation (32%), and sidewalks/curbs (31%) [7]. Similarly, a recent AARP study found that between 40% and 50% of seniors reported inadequate sidewalks in their neighborhoods and an inability to cross main roads safely near home [8]. Beginning in 2011, 10,000 people will turn 65 every day, and this rate of achieving senior status will continue for 20 years [9].
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