Within Central Indiana, public transit access is critical for many older adults to participate in essential activities such as shopping, health trips, and social activities.1In fact, greater access to public transit for older adults may decrease prevalence of depression2, particularly because better transit access can alleviate social isolation in older adults.3
However, public transit access in rural areas is commo
nly worse than that in urban areas. Furthermore, rural areas oftentimes have greater proportions of both older and sicker populations—partly due to trends such as younger adult out-migration, cost of living disparities, and rural areas being more desirable for retirement.
4Check out the new research brief about public transit accessibility, recommendations, and trends for the older population in Central Indiana. This brief is part of the State of Aging in Central Indiana project, a collaboration with Polis and the Central Indiana Senior Fund, a fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation.