How does low income affect older people’s travel practices? Findings of a qualitative case study on the links between financial poverty, mobility and social participation

Caroline Rozynek · Martin Lanzendorf

45 citations0/0 files storedTravel Behaviour and Society

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Urban Transport and Accessibility Transportation Planning and Optimization Older Adults Driving Studies

Abstract

Financial poverty, mobility and social participation are interrelated. This nexus makes old-age poverty a highly relevant issue in terms of transport-related social exclusion in an ageing society. To understand how financial poverty affects older people’s travel practices and how they cope with their limited financial resources, we conducted qualitative interviews with low-income older people (aged 60 and above) in Ronnenberg (Hanover region, Germany). Although all the respondents have comparably limited financial resources, using a practice theory perspective along the elements of materials, competences and meanings (Shove et al., 2012), we identified three different types of low-income older people by their travel practices: (i) active older people with multifaceted social interactions, (ii) neighbourhood-oriented older people with local interactions and (iii) home-centred older people with few social interactions. From our analysis, we conclude that financial poverty shapes each element of low-income older people’s travel practices and thereby increases the risk of transport-related social exclusion: (i) certain materials have to be financed, which is challenging or even impossible due to financial poverty; (ii) meanings of travel practices are strongly linked to other practices, thus, if (also for financial reasons) no or a limited range of destinations are mentioned, travel practices are restricted in their frequency and distance; and (iii) necessary competences to be mobile and engage in social activities despite low financial means seem to be differentially available or - more cautiously formulated – less often utilised by low-income older people, which may lead to them abandoning travel practices and related social activities.

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References

2002Toward a Theory of Social Practices 2012The Dynamics of Social Practice: Everyday Life and How it Changes 1996Social Practices 2012Transport and social exclusion: Where are we now?2014Qualitative Text Analysis: A Guide to Methods, Practice & Using Software 2003Comfort, Cleanliness and Convenience : The Social Organization of Normality 2014Qualitative Sozialforschung 2000Transport and social exclusion in London

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