Elderly Mobility and Architectural Factors in Apartment Units: A Hierarchical Regression Analysis

Abstract According to the World Health Organization, the elderly need to keep their mobility level to maintain their level of health. Many studies have been performed on the mobility of the elderly in the urban context. However, increasing age makes older people spend more time in their homes, so it calls for further work on the issue within their houses. Besides, the role of architectural variables in indoor mobility has not been examined as much as individual characteristics. Accordingly, our research seeks to bridge such gaps by considering apartment units and examining the role of physical factors. In this respect, the researchers reviewed the related literature and devised a researcher-developed questionnaire. The population included three residential neighborhoods in Mashhad, Iran, among which 436 older people were selected for the study. After controlling the impact of variables related to individual characteristics and living conditions at home, the effect of architectural features on the mobility of the elderly was indicated. The findings revealed the influence of distance and access of architectural variables on the mobility of the elderly only in spacious units.