Satisfaction with Key Areas of Mobility and Satisfaction with Life in General Over Time

Out-of-Home Mobility

The appraisal of one’s possibilities for mobility—assessed on an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (not satisfied at all) to 10 (very satisfied)—included all means of getting where one wants to go, either on foot, by bicycle, by car as a driver or passenger, or by public transport. In general, the older adults’ satisfaction with their mobility options over the 10-year interval was high (Table 15.4). Toward the third assessment, however, it decreased from an average rating of M = 8.4 (T1) to M = 8.3 (T2) and M = 7.8 (T3). This tendency was true of male participants in particular. Men and women aged 75 years or older also expressed less satisfaction with their mobility options than did younger elders (65-74 years old). As expected, older adults who reported a decline in their mobility options in the second and/or third assessment were significantly less satisfied with their mobility in general than people whose mobility had not changed.