Factors Influencing Senior Citizens' Walkability in Rural Thrissur

Ramiz Akhthar

1 Student, Department of Architecture, School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal

[email protected]

Abstract. Pedestrian planning and design are vital for encouraging healthy public life, creating sustainable
communities, and boosting social and economic life. Walking behaviour is one of the most significant
variables in determining the walkability of a neighbourhood. The purpose of this research article is to
identify the characteristics that impact senior citizens' walking behaviour in order to improve neighbourhood
sustainability and social activity. Increased walking behaviour in older adults also contributes to enhanced
public health and lowers state healthcare expenditures. The purpose of this study was to identify the
significant associations between supports and destinations with walking among a district-representative
sample of rural-dwelling senior citizens in Thrissur.
Two sites with varying degrees of support and destination infrastructure were chosen for the research to
gauge the perception of walkability. The preliminary research is an observational analysis of the factors
found in the reviewed literature studies. The second phase comprises interviews with elderly persons from the
chosen sites to discover variables that promote and hinder their walking behaviour. The final stage is to
discover these characteristics in the selected sites and produce a chart of factors to improve walkability.
Roads, sidewalks, and relaxing places were all related to leisure walking among all participants. Pedestrian
transportation was connected with roads and walkways, groceries, religious structures, and relaxation
places. Communities may align surveillance goals to behavioural priorities (i.e., leisure vs transportation
walking) to increase efficiency, and assessing destinations may be especially essential.

Keywords: senior citizens, walkability, rural

1 Introduction

1.1 Background

Walking is being recognised as an important method of urban transportation as concern for future sustainability
grows. Until the invention of transport technologies in the nineteenth century, most places were designed to
encourage walking (Newman & Kenworthy, 1999). In the twentieth century, as individual private motor
mobility became increasingly widespread, public transport systems and urban walkability became less visible
(Singh, 2016).
The purported benefits of walking are not new; it is general knowledge that we benefit physiologically when we
are engaged. It is a free activity that can increase one's well-being and health longevity. According to the
American Journal of Public Health, pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods improve both individual and group
social capital. Participation in local governance and community trust are examples of social capital. Increased
levels of social capital have been linked to improved community health, lower crime rates, and even higher
economic growth (Azmi et al., 2012). Residents in pedestrian-oriented neighbourhoods that are extremely
walkable are more inclined to walk to locations such as groceries, restaurants, cafés, schools, temples, parks,
and other requirements. When residents are out and about in their neighbourhood, they may engage with their
environment more regularly, helping them feel more connected to and responsible for their neighbourhood
(Azmi et al., 2012).
Additionally, people will interact with their neighbours on a more frequent basis, leading to a stronger
community network that can increase individual peace of mind, community trust, and perhaps decrease crime
rates (Singh, 2016). Buildings in old communities opened directly into the streets since there were no significant
setbacks. People took up the entire block where they resided. Because all of the windows and balconies faced
the street, it was much safer (Singh, 2016). It placed Eyes on the Street, as Jane Jacobs described it. This shape
served as a trigger for increased street activity. This research aims to analyse the concept of walkability through
a literature review as well as an observational inquiry in order to comprehend the numerous ways in which the
rural environment influences walking.
1.2 Aim

-To identify various factors limiting or prompting walkability among senior citizens in rural neighbourhoods in
Thrissur.

1.3 Research Questions

-What are the various physical features that hinder or enhance walking behaviour in senior citizens?
-Does the environment setting or destination play an important role in walkability?

1.4 Objectives

-To identify factors related to walkability from studying literature papers.

-To collect data about the walking behaviour of senior citizens in the selected neighbourhoods. (motivators and
inhibitors)
- Conducting interviews with senior citizens of the selected neighbourhood. The interview will consist
of a pre-framed questionnaire mainly enquiring about the effects of the factors identified in the literature study.
This would also help in identifying new factors missing in the literature studies.

-To locate neighbourhoods for factors identified from reviewed literature and interviews conducted.
- Consists of observation of the streets of the selected neighbourhoods to locate various factors.
Methods will include sketching and making a key plan for each neighbourhood, which would help in identifying
the underdeveloped spaces.

2 Literature Review

2.1 Rural Street Formation

The author chose this as the site to conduct the study as Mehrauli provides a scope to study the shift in the built
environment from organic settlements and how these changes are affecting the street activity, walkability and
perception of safety. An observational site analysis is performed to gather data on pedestrian behaviour using a
qualitative approach.
The streets in traditionally formed neighbourhoods were more walkable because residents felt more in control
on these routes. The openness of the buildings produced an informal bustle in these streets, as did the shorter
block lengths, which gave people the impression that it was a quicker trip. The activities that these streets
sparked improved the street's walkability and safety.
The newly built region, on the other hand, lacks character in the streets due to building setbacks and separation
from streets, and thus fails to generate any public activity.

2.2 Public Walkability Surveillance

The author planned to do a survey of the association between support/destination and walking for leisure and
transportation. This data could be used to improve existing or create new supports to improve walking
behaviour.
The survey discovered that supports and destinations play a major role in motivating individuals to walk and
they also created a list of the most common supports/destinations from the survey conducted. They were also
successful in determining and shortlisting the most prevalent issues that hampered walkability. In the
conclusion, a data list was supplied that could be used by the required organization.
3 Methodology

Fig 3.1- Methodology Flowchart

The study begins by reviewing several literature studies and publications in order to find various parameters that
inhibit or promote walkability. The next stage is to utilise these factors to research and evaluate chosen rural
neighbourhoods in Thrissur. A site visit will be conducted to conduct preliminary observations in order to
determine these occurrences of these characteristics as well as the distribution of supports and destinations.
Following that, a survey in the form of face-to-face interviews in the neighbourhoods would be done to shortlist
the factors and add newly detected parameters. This enables the inclusion of characteristics not present in the
interviewee's perspective as well as those from literature studies unrelated to the rural setting of Thrissur. The
parameters will be evaluated and shortlisted depending on their intensity, with the less significant values being
removed. These will be compared for the selected sites in order to identify areas for development in order to
promote walkability in rural Thrissur.

Interview Questionnaire :
Do you go for walks in the neighbourhood?
How often do you go for walk and for how long?
How and why do you think your walking behaviour changed throughout the years?
Does your health conditions hinder you from walking?
Have you had any unpleasant experiences recently while going for a walk?
What developments do you think should happen to improve walkability?

4 Parameter Identification

4.1 Enclosure

The link between both the degree of enclosure perceived in a route and the degree of safety felt by pedestrians
(Singh, 2016). In a study by Richa Singh, a graph was created with two variables: enclosure and safety, which
were evaluated throughout the two indicated sites. It was discovered that as people's feelings of enclosure grew
stronger, so did their sense of safety when going along the street. This might be attributed to the fact that streets
with several structures close together and insufficient sunlight, tend to make people feel uneasy and
claustrophobic when walking across them (Singh, 2016).

4.2 Block length and perceived walking distance

The perceived walking distance and the length of a block are directly related. Shorter block lengths render
streets more walkable since people perceive them as shorter distances and want to take shorter trips, increasing
street activity (Singh, 2016).

4.3 Visual Disconnection

According to research, the presence of other people or activities nearby provides a sense of protection to the
users. Some regions are extremely dangerous because of the lack of this, as well as utter visual separation from
the surroundings (Mahadevia & Lathia, 2019).
It is critical to establish public places that encourage activity and are visibly connected to their surroundings in
order to provide users with a sense of security.

4.4 Lighting

Street lighting has been shown to have a significant impact on people's perceptions of safety. Adequate lighting
may significantly increase one's sense of safety. One of the most significant concerns identified in a variety of
places is inadequate or non-existent illumination, rendering it unsuitable and unsafe for usage (Mahadevia &
Lathia, 2019). Street lights are a good way of making the streets more active even at night.

4.5 Pavement & Traffic

Well maintained pavements are a necessity in public streets where the traffic is usually high (Singh, 2016). A
proper location for pedestrians to walk is lacking in the majority of rural areas, let alone have pavements. Even
these are frequently neglected and have damp mud as a result of the level difference.

4.6 Vegetation

Apart from non-existent and thin sidewalks, the poor design of landscape features in roadside buildings
frequently caused problems for people. As illustrated in the case of parks studied in Delhi by Jagori, even when
sufficient lighting is installed in certain areas, the foliage of trees and plants frequently blocks the light and
creates multiple dark places (Viswanath & Mehrotra, 2007). In certain situations, they extend from boundary
walls and obstruct pedestrians on the walkways. In addition, due to the lack of suitable pavements, small shrubs
and grass are frequently spotted growing on the sidewalks.

4.7 Animals

Stray dogs and other animals are frequently seen on the streets, where they often cause problems or attack
pedestrians. This has recently become a major issue, with none of the government's actions yielding any results.
In the last five years, Kerala has reported 8 lakh stray dog assaults (Antony, 2021). Senior folks, who typically
have limited mobility, are particularly vulnerable to such accidents and strive to prevent them by remaining
indoors.

4.8 Crime

Another reason that hinders older adults from venturing out for leisure walking is their dread of crime. When it
comes to street crime, they are one of the most vulnerable groups. It may differ from one neighbourhood to the
next based on population, economy, policing, and other factors.
5 Site Selection

According to the reviewed literature papers, there is a relationship between the destination and walkability in
any particular area. As a result, two neighbourhoods (Inchamudi and Chakkarapadam) with varying frequencies
of support/destinations and observable walking behaviour were chosen as case studies. The former enjoy the
bulk of the support in the neighbouring trading village and only a few on their own. The observable walking
behaviour was also significantly lower than at the second location, Chakkarapadam, where destinations were
more frequently encountered.

Fig 5.1 - Inchamudi Source: Author Fig 5.2 - Chakkarapadam Source: Author

The boxes represent the different buildings in the neighbourhood, with blue representing various destinations
and red representing residential dwellings.

5.1 Activity Mapping

Fig 5.3 - Inchamudi Source: Author Fig 5.4 - Chakkarapadam Source: Author
The research area was explored on foot to get a rough understanding of the activity zones. The streets with a
high density of pedestrians were marked on the survey map, which was carried at all times. This mapping was
generated completely based on the observed density of people out on the streets and was undisturbed by any
other element. This was done to provide a more comprehensive view of the activity distribution in the study
region. Furthermore, the mapping was crucial in capturing both highly active streets and streets with little or no
activity.
The figure above depicts activity mapping through the density of people. The red patches represent pedestrians
detected on the streets, whereas the blue patches represent areas where no activities were recorded.

5.2 Observational Study

Inchamudi

Inchamudi is 17 kilometres from the town centre and lies on the Thrissur-Thriprayar route. It has a considerable
number of senior residents and most of the structures in the region date from the same era. Near the entrance,
there are 3-4 stores that sell bakery items and vegetables. However, most of the major shops with other everyday
necessities may be found in the adjacent region of Chirakkal, which is 600m off the main road.
The planning does not follow the same rules as in urban areas, and the block length criteria is inapplicable.
There are likewise few to no recorded crimes in this area. However, pedestrian activity in the area remains
extremely low.

Fig 5.5 - Tight enclosures, lack of

walkways and damaged road along
with a slope.

The subsidiary road is 3.4 - 3.6m wide when approached from the main road. There are no pavements
whatsoever, and the walkways are just approximately 40 cm wide (Fig 5.5). It is frequently muddy and
overgrown with grass or other bushes, making it unfit and unsafe for pedestrians. In other instances, plant-based
barriers cover these side spaces and stretch all the way to the road. This has no effect on pedestrian mobility
because all of them utilise the road to go about because vehicular traffic is quite minimal. However, due to the
poorly maintained road and potholes, pedestrian travel may be more difficult for older folks.
Overall, pedestrian traffic was found to be negligible, with all those who used it doing so to go to the bus stop on
the main road or to travel home from there. The enclosure is quite close to the road, with extremely tiny
sidewalks and high boundary walls. The dwellings are placed back from the wall, creating a visible barrier
between the interior and the outside. When one approaches the inner roadways, there are several turns that
create blind spots (Fig 5.7). During the nights, there is hardly little lighting in these areas.
The lighting in the area is haphazard and low-intensity, which doesn't assist much. There are also several old
traditional buildings in the interior areas that have been overgrown with vegetation (Fig 5.6), giving them a
haunted appearance. Because of these factors, pedestrian activity stays nearly non-existent after dusk. This is
also owing to the stray dogs that wander freely after sunset, making the streets dangerous for pedestrians.
Potholes are also less noticeable to pedestrians due to poor lighting.
Fig 5.6 - Isolated buildings Fig 5.7 - Visual disconnection

Chakkarapadam

Chakkarapadam is 11 kilometres from Kodungallur town, around 2 kilometres inside, along the
Guruvayoor-Kodungallur road. The majority of the residences are modern, and there are a significant number of
older citizens. The width of the principal roadways ranges from 4.8 to 5.2 metres. Pavements are also lacking in
this neighbourhood, with walkable sides averaging 60 cm (Fig 5.8).
Drainage is once again a serious concern, with the side sections becoming muddier when it rains. The vast
majority of people walk along the road. The roads are well maintained and free of potholes. The road also
features humps at various spots to make it safer for pedestrians. The block parameter is also inapplicable on this
location, and there are extremely few crimes reported in the neighbourhood.
The observed walking behaviour is better than that of Inchamudi. The roadways are well maintained, and the
level variations are concealed by gradual slopes, making them pedestrian-friendly. Along the main road, there
are various stores that serve as destinations (Fig 5.9), most of which are managed by senior citizens. The
majority of the remaining elders spent their evenings and mornings with them, participating in various activities,
keeping the street alive at all times. All of these activities keep pedestrians safer, especially at night. These
activities also deter stray animals.

Fig 5.8 - Roads with thin sidewalks Fig 5.9 - Destination- Shops
Despite the fact that all of the buildings in the area are modern, the majority of them have a low wall and open
sit-outs with minimal offsets to keep "the eyes on the street" (Fig 5.10). These encourage more individuals to go
on walks and engage in social interaction, strengthening the community even more. The roadways are wider,
and the walls and houses are lower, making the enclosure more breathable.

Fig 5.10 - Open enclosures and houses close to paths Fig 5.11 - Underdeveleoped inner paths

The minor roads and those closest to a waterbody (Fig 5.12) that may serve as a leisure destination are the ones
that are less maintained (Fig 5.12). Even though the roads are of high quality, they are less maintained than the
primary roadways. Shrubs, grasses, and, in some cases, big plants grow on the sides of the street, making it feel
claustrophobic.
The majority of the areas around the main road are well lit, but it grows darker as we move inside. The distance
between light posts is increasing to the inside, and some are no longer functional. After dark, these routes are
rarely utilised by pedestrians (Fig 5.11).

Fig 5.12 - Destination - Relaxing Places - Bridge Fig 5.13 - Road to the bridge

6 Interview Data

In each neighbourhood, ten senior citizens were interviewed. The interviewees were presented with an identical
set of questions, and their varied inhibitors and demands were noted. The percentages represent the number of
interviewees who identified with that item.
Chart 6.1 - Inchamudi Chart 6.2 - Chakkarapadam

In the total number of interviews conducted, it was discovered that elderly residents who maintained an active
walking behaviour, either for leisure or transportation, were far more prevalent in Chakkarapadam than in
Inchamudi.

Destinations Inchamudi (%) Chakkarapadam (%)

Recreational/ Parks 30 20

Rest Spaces 70 30

Religion 40 20

Shops 30 10

Others 10 0

Table 6.1 - Destinations

Parameters Inchamudi (%) Chakkarapadam (%)

Visual Disconnection 50 30

Lighting 30 20

Pavement 50 40

Traffic 70 50

Vegetation 30 20

Animal 40 0

Potholes 50 30

Drainage 30 30

Table 6.1 - Supports/Parameters

The combination of proper roads and sidewalks was the most commonly reported support, rest places were the
most commonly reported destinations, and traffic was the most commonly reported barrier to safe walking,
regardless of which neighbourhood. However, all supports and all destinations were less commonly reported by
Inchamudi residents than ones from Chakkarapadam, as were animals as a barrier to safe walking. Both leisure
and transportation walking were less common among Inchamudi residents compared to ones from
Chakkarapadam.

7 Discussion

These neighbourhood-level analyses suggest communities may consider different priorities when monitoring
infrastructure supports and destinations in different contexts (i.e., when prioritizing leisure versus transportation
walking). Surveillance of environments that support leisure walking might be similar and brief in rural areas and
focus on spaces for relaxation. Rest zones are necessary to maintain healthy senior citizen walkability, as it is
more difficult for them to cover a long distance in a single trip. Because of the open shops and neighbourhood
where people spent time during the stroll, Chakkarapadam had less of a demand for more resting spots. These
qualities were less prevalent in Inchamudi, and the neighbourhood was also confined, limiting any place for
relaxation for older pedestrians.
Assessing perceptions of safety might also be important for environments that support leisure/transportation
walking, and assessment of walkable destinations may be particularly important. According to the interviews,
practically all of the walking was driven by some sort of destination. Even when the destinations are present, the
inhibitors for walking were unfavourable perceptions of safety as a result of ill-maintained or missing supports.

8 Scopes & Limitations

The study is subject to several limitations. The data for the study is gathered from two selected sites and a
limited number of interviews. Although the findings from all parameters stand out by a significant majority, the
percentage numbers may change when done on a much greater scale from region to region, depending on the
present environment settings. The criteria might fluctuate based on a variety of other circumstances such as the
economic condition, the effectiveness of local administration, and so on.
The role of shifts in neighbourhood built design and socio-cultural elements influencing walkability are outside
the scope of this article. According to one of the senior interviewees in Inchmaudi, who was born and raised
there,
“... there were no huge walls anywhere. We had fences made of lilac branches. People used to visit each other a
lot. When we (interviewee and parents) went walking, we used to see them sitting in front and we would spend
some time talking there. They (newer generation) have closed it all up….”
These are examples of a time, where rather than supports or destinations, community bonds, cultural factors and
visual connectivity due to the neighbourhood design, played a huge role in the walking behaviour of a
community. How the generational shift has adversely affected the walking behaviour is not covered in this
paper.

9 Conclusion

Concerns raised by rural senior populations might be addressed by focusing on perceived environmental
qualities that are strongly connected with walking. Rural areas interested in monitoring settings that encourage
senior citizens to walk may choose to focus on supports and destinations linked with recreation, religion, parks,
and places to relax. Rural places may prioritise a range of walkable transportation infrastructure features (e.g.,
roads, walkways, pathways, or trails), strategic lighting, and stray control in order to create surroundings that
encourage walking. Walking was more prevalent where more supports and destinations were recorded,
according to a simple activity mapping, and this may be one example of what communities could do with this
sort of surveillance data. Continuous monitoring of supports and destinations, as well as, in certain cases,
barriers to safe walking, is required to track progress as communities attempt to implement healthy walking
behaviour.
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