Outdoor mobility in senior housing residents and community-dwelling older people in different population density areas.

Background: Outdoor mobility supports functioning and active life in old age. There is scarce knowledge about the outdoor mobility of senior housing residents, and it remains unclear whether outdoor mobility is dependent on one's home location.

Aims: We investigated outdoor mobility among senior housing residents and community-dwelling older adults in different population-density areas.

Associations between walking limitations and reported activity destinations among older adults.

In old age, walking difficulty may reduce opportunities to reach valued activity destinations. Walking modifications, e.g.

Longitudinal changes in life-space mobility and autonomy in participation outdoors among Finnish community-dwelling older adults from pre-COVID-19 to through the pandemic.

Background: Among older people, community mobility was reduced at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the longer-term changes are unclear.

Aims: To study lower extremity performance and car driving as predictors of changes in older adults' life-space mobility, autonomy in participation outdoors, and the risk of developing restricted life-space mobility from 2017 to 2022.

Methods: Life-space mobility (scoring range 0-120) and autonomy in participation outdoors (scoring range 0-20) were assessed in community-dwelling individuals (n = 657) in 2017-2018 (baseline age 75, 80, or 85 years), during the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020, and in 2021-2022.

Neighborhood Walkability, Walking Difficulties, and Participation in Leisure Activities Among Older People: A Cross-Sectional Study and 4-Year Follow-Up of a Subsample.

To study cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between objectively assessed neighborhood walkability, walking difficulties, and participation in leisure activities among older people. Self-reported 2 km walking difficulty (intact, modifications, difficulties) at baseline and participating in organized group, outdoor recreation and cultural activities at baseline and follow-up were studied in community-dwelling persons ( = 848) aged 75-90. A walkability index, calculated using a geographic information system, was categorized into tertiles (lowest, middle, highest).

Active Aging in Senior Housing Residents and Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Comparative Study in Finland.

Objectives: Leading an active life in old age underpins positive life experience. This study aimed to compare the levels of active aging in senior housing residents and community-dwelling older people.

Methods: We combined data from the BoAktiv senior house survey (N = 336, 69% women, mean age 83 years) and AGNES cohort study among community-dwelling older adults (N = 1021, 57% women, mean age 79 years).

Older Adults' Self-Reported Physical Activity and Distance to and Land Use Around Reported Physical Exercise Destinations.

Little is known about older adults' physical exercise destinations. We studied associations between physical activity (PA) level and physical exercise destinations (total number and surrounding environment) in community-dwelling 75- to 85-year-old adults living in Central Finland. Participants (N = 901) reported the amount of at least moderate-intensity PA and physical exercise destinations.

Older adults' activity destinations before and during COVID-19 restrictions: From a variety of activities to mostly physical exercise close to home.

The aim was to study various types of older adult's activity destinations (counts, frequency of visitation, and distance from home) in the pre-COVID-19 era, and to study prospectively how COVID-19-related regulations limiting mobility affected these. Using a map-based questionnaire, 75-85-year-old participants reported activity destinations, that is, any destinations for physical exercise, destinations facilitating one's outdoor mobility, and destinations for other activities, which they had visited several times during the past month. At baseline, a variety of activity destinations was reported, but during COVID-19, destinations reported markedly declined in number, they were reported predominantly for physical exercise, and they were located closer to home.

Associations of Environmental Features With Outdoor Physical Activity on Weekdays and Weekend Days: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Older People.

Physical activity (PA) of higher intensity and longer duration mainly accumulates from older adults' out-of-home activities. Outdoor PA is influenced by environmental features; however, the day-to-day variability of PA and its associations with environmental features have not been widely studied. This study focused on the associations of environmental features with accelerometer-measured PA in older people on weekdays and weekend days.

Older Adults' Physical Activity and the Relevance of Distances to Neighborhood Destinations and Barriers to Outdoor Mobility.

To determine the relevance of features located close to home and further away, our aim was to study associations between older adults' physical activity and self-reported neighborhood destinations and barriers to outdoor mobility categorized by presence and maximal distance from home. Cross-sectional analyses comprising men and women 79-94 years old (57%) living independently in Central Finland ( = 185). Self-reported physical activity was categorized into lower (≤3 h moderate activity a week) and higher (≥4 h moderate or intense activity a week) activity.

Associations between Perceived Outdoor Environment and Walking Modifications in Community-Dwelling Older People: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study.

To examine associations of perceived outdoor environment with the prevalence and development of adaptive (e.g., slower pace) and maladaptive (e.

Environmental Features Associated With Older Adults' Physical Activity in Different Types of Urban Neighborhoods.

The authors studied associations of nature- and infrastructure-based features with physical activity (PA) in different urban neighborhood types; 848 community-dwelling people aged 75-90 years reported PA and three perceived nature-based destinations and seven infrastructure-based features as outdoor mobility facilitators. Neighborhood type was defined using a geographic information system based on proximity to central service areas and residential density (city center, subcenter, and dense and dispersed areas outside centers). PA was higher in dense areas and the city center.

Perception of parks and trails as mobility facilitators and transportation walking in older adults: a study using digital geographical maps.

Background: Transportation walking represents a promising target for physical activity promotion in older adults. Perceived characteristics of the neighbourhood physical environment may affect older adults' choice of transportation mode for a routine activity such as walking to the grocery store.

Aims: To (1) evaluate associations between older adults' perception of parks and trails as outdoor mobility facilitators and transportation walking, specifically to the grocery store; and (2) explore whether the spatial relationship between people's home, perceived facilitator and store was relevant for their transportation choice.

Hilliness and the Development of Walking Difficulties Among Community-Dwelling Older People.

The objective of this study is to study the associations of objectively defined hilliness with the prevalence and incidence of walking difficulties among community-dwelling older adults, and to explore whether behavioral, health, or socioeconomic factors would fully or partially explain these associations. Baseline interviews ( = 848, 75-90 years) on difficulties in walking 500 m, frequency of moving through the neighborhood, and perceived hilliness as a barrier to outdoor mobility were conducted. Two-year follow-up interviews ( = 551) on difficulties in walking 500 m were conducted among participants without baseline walking difficulties.

Nature as a facilitator for physical activity: Defining relationships between the objective and perceived environment and physical activity among community-dwelling older people.

The aim was to study the correspondence between the objective and perceived environment and to assess their associations with physical activity (PA) in older people. 848 community-dwelling older people aged 75-90 were interviewed on their difficulties in walking 500m, perceiving nature as a facilitator for outdoor mobility, and PA. The presence of water and landscape diversity were objectively assessed inside 500m and 1000m circular buffers around participants' homes.

Nature diversity and well-being in old age.

Background: The research aim was to study the associations of nature diversity with quality of life (QoL) and depressive symptoms among older people, and whether physical activity explains the associations.

Methods: Community-dwelling people aged 75-90 years (n = 848) living in Central Finland were interviewed in their homes. QoL was assessed with a short version of the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Assessment (range 0-130, higher score indicates better QoL) and depressive symptoms with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (range 0-30, higher scores indicate more depressive symptoms).

Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland.

The aim was to study objectively assessed walkability of the environment and participant perceived environmental facilitators for outdoor mobility as predictors of physical activity in older adults with and without physical limitations. 75-90-year-old adults living independently in Central Finland were interviewed ( = 839) and reassessed for self-reported physical activity one or two years later ( = 787). Lower-extremity physical limitations were defined as Short Physical Performance Battery score ≤9.