10th International Congress on Information and Communication Technology

Authors - Carlo Giuseppe Pirrone
Abstract - This study explores urban accessibility for the elderly, focusing on the importance of integrating objective and subjective measures for a comprehensive assessment. Objective measures, such as cumulative opportunity measures (CUM) or measurable travel times, quantify spatial data while often neglecting personal experiences and user perceptions. Subjective measures, obtained through surveys, become crucial in defining the ease of access to services, including satisfaction levels derived from the journey, barriers due to individual factors (age, health, disability), as well as comfort and safety. A combined methodology would promote a new interpretation of urban accessibility. A case study conducted in Rende, Italy, illustrates a practical application by mapping healthcare services and public transport to assess pedestrian accessibility. A pilot survey gathered elderly residents' perceptions of distance, travel time, and service satisfaction. Preliminary results indicate a reluctance to walk, overestimated perceived distances and a strong reliance on private vehicles, highlighting the need for infrastructures and services to provide a better connection of the elderly to healthcare services. Ongoing research will further refine the study by adapting objective measures to local perceptions to develop a specific accessibility indicator for the area.