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Supporting Older Women in theTransition to Driving CessationOlive Bryanton a , Lori E. Weeks b & Jessie M. Lees ca PEI Centre for the Study of Health and Aging , Charlottetown, PE,Canadab Family & Nutritional Sciences , University of Prince Edward Island ,Charlottetown, PE, Canadac Faculty of Education , University of Prince Edward Island ,Charlottetown, PE, CanadaPublished online: 10 Sep 2010.

To cite this article: Olive Bryanton , Lori E. Weeks & Jessie M. Lees (2010) Supporting OlderWomen in the Transition to Driving Cessation, Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 34:3, 181-195, DOI:10.1080/01924788.2010.501483

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Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 34:181–195, 2010Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLCISSN: 0192-4788 print/1544-4368 onlineDOI: 10.1080/01924788.2010.501483

Supporting Older Women in the Transitionto Driving Cessation

OLIVE BRYANTONPEI Centre for the Study of Health and Aging, Charlottetown, PE, Canada

LORI E. WEEKSFamily & Nutritional Sciences, University of Prince Edward Island,

Charlottetown, PE, Canada

JESSIE M. LEESFaculty of Education, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada

This study explores how older women have their transportationneeds met following driving cessation and the factors influenc-ing the transition to driving cessation. Eleven women age 70 andolder who ceased driving participated in face-to-face interviews.They often used different mobility options to continue their par-ticipation in different types of activities, and they experiencedreductions in social activity participation. Location and access topublic transportation, access to stable mobility options, control overmobility options, and planning for driving cessation influencedadaptation to driving cessation. The results provide direction forthe development of appropriate mobility options and the develop-ment of effective programs to reduce the negative impact of drivingcessation.

KEYWORDS older women, driving cessation, adapting to non-driving, mobility options, impact of driving cessation

It is clear from prior research that driving cessation can have a negativeimpact on the lives of older adults. Loss of independence and spontaneity,decreased quality of life, increased isolation, depressive symptoms, and

Received 2 June 2009; accepted 1 June 2010.Address correspondence to Olive Bryanton, MEd, Coordinator, PEI Centre for the

Study of Health and Aging, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue,Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, Canada. E-mail: obryanton@upei.ca

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increased financial costs are all identified consequences of driving cessation(Bauer, Rottunda, & Adler, 2003; Burkhardt, Berger, & McGavock, 1996;Shope, 2003). Mobility is an essential component of quality of life forolder adults (Bauer et al., 2003; Kostyniuk & Shope, 2003), and it can beconsidered an activity of daily living (Whitehead, Howie, & Lovell, 2006).

Many older adults do not have access to appropriate public and privatetransportation services following driving cessation, although the necessity ofthese services is certainly deemed important. Researchers have found thatthe presence of feasible alternative transportation can allow older adults toentertain the idea of driving cessation, and that the presence of transporta-tion options is crucial to the timing of driving transition and to maintaininga satisfactory quality of life (Horowitz, Boerner, & Reinhardt, 2002; Yassuda,Wilson, & von Mering, 1997). However, even when public transportation isavailable, older adults are often deterred from using it because of incon-venience, time constraints, poor maintenance of trains and buses, and fearfor personal security (Shope, 2003). Kostyniuk and Shope (2003) suggestedthat alternative transportation for older persons would be more acceptableif it had some characteristics of the private automobile. More information isneeded about preferred forms of transportation following driving cessation,including public transportation, paid services, and volunteer support fromfamily members and friends. If appropriate public or private transportationoptions are not available or acceptable, then some older adults are at riskof not having their transportation needs met, especially those living in ruralareas.

Dobbs and Strain (2008) identified the importance of helping older ruraladults stay connected with their family, friends, neighbors, and communities,and it is these rural seniors who are least likely to have access to formaltransportation services. Moreover, Dobbs and Strain (2008) cautioned thatthe size, composition, and proximity of social networks all are relevant tothe likelihood that an older rural adult will have access to one or morepeople who can assist with transportation. Although social networks arepotential transportation resources for older people in both rural and urbansettings, some older adults do not have access to a family or to friends whocan provide transportation.

With or without available transport, many older adults find it difficultto deal with the experience of driving cessation. Currently, there is littlesocietal support to help individuals cope with this transition. Educationalprograms not only could aid older adults in understanding the physical,social, and psychological implications of driving cessation, but also couldtake a proactive approach, including planning ahead for retirement fromdriving and learning to drive safely longer (Whitehead et al., 2006; Yassudaet al., 1997). This kind of initiative within the field of educational gerontologyhas received very little serious attention. Knowledge of the consequencesof driving cessation would help older individuals contemplating driving

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cessation and would stimulate the development of interventions and alterna-tive strategies to decrease the adverse effects of driving cessation (Harrison& Ragland, 2003; Kostyniuk & Shope, 2003; Marottoli et al., 2000; Ragland,Satariano, & MacLeod, 2004).

While having greater knowledge about the experience of drivingcessation is important for both older men and women, this study focuseson older women in order to more fully understand their unique experi-ences following driving cessation and to provide insight into how to supportthem following driving cessation. The literature reviewed provided littleinsight into how older women in particular adapt to driving cessation.The life experiences of older women are often quite different from thoseof older men, such as their experiences with driving, educational attain-ment, participation in paid employment, child rearing, and other caregivingresponsibilities. All of these factors can have an impact on the experienceof aging and the financial resources available in later life. In addition, olderwomen comprise a larger proportion of the population in Canada than domen, especially in older age groups. For example, women comprise 75%of the population age 90 and older and 52% of the population age 65–69(Turcotte & Schellenberg, 2007).

The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences of older womenfollowing driving cessation and to gain insight into how to better supportthese women. The specific research questions that guided this study are:(a) How do older women experience the transition to driving cessation? (b)How are their transportation needs met following driving cessation? (c) Whatcan be done to support older women in the transition to driving cessation?

METHODOLOGY

The University of Prince Edward Island, Canada, Research Ethics Boardapproved this study. Eligible participants included women at least age 70who ceased driving within the past 2 years, had the physical and cognitiveability to participate in an interview, and lived in one county of a Canadianprovince. Using a snowball sampling procedure, participant recruitmentbegan with known women eligible for participation. These women thenidentified other potential participants. Of the 12 women invited by phone toparticipate, one declined, resulting in a total of 11 participants. Each womanparticipated in a face-to-face interview in her home. The participants gavepermission for the interview to be audio-recorded, and they had the oppor-tunity to review the resulting transcript and to make revisions. Pseudonymsare used for all participants.

The women responded to questions on a semistructured interviewguide including questions about their driving experiences, circumstancessurrounding driving cessation, the impact of driving cessation on their lives,

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public transportation, and planning for driving cessation. In addition, theyresponded to a series of demographic questions (i.e., age, education, health,marital status, living arrangements, financial status). Each interview lastedapproximately 1 hour.

The demographic characteristics of the participants are presented inTable 1. Only Caucasian women participated in the study, and they rangedin age from 70–88, with five over age 85. Widows comprised most of thesample (n = 9). They had quite a high level of education. All agreed thatthey could meet their financial obligations, and all reported having adequateresources to participate in desired activities. Most of the women lived in citiesor rural communities, and most lived alone (n = 7). Although nine of thewomen reported experiencing health problems and five reported difficultiesof activities of daily living, most described their health as average or better(n = 8), and five felt they had better health than others their age.

TABLE 1 Demographic Characteristics

Characteristic N = 11 %

Age70–74 2 1875–79 1 980–84 3 2785+ 5 45

Marital statusMarried 1 9Widowed 9 82Divorced 1 9

EducationAttended college or university 4 36Some post-secondary education 3 27Completed high school 4 36

LocationCity 5 45Town 1 9Rural 5 45

Lives alone 7 64Has health problems 9 82Self-reported health status

Above average 1 9Very good 4 36Average 3 27Poor 3 27

Self-reported health status compared to others of a similar ageBetter 5 45Same 4 36Worse 2 18

Has difficulties with activities of daily living 5 45Can meet financial obligations 11 100Has adequate resources to participate in desired activities 11 100

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We used thematic analysis to guide the analysis of the qualitative data.Thematic analysis is a form of pattern recognition within data allowing forthemes to emerge directly from the data using inductive coding (Fereday &Muir-Cochrane, 2006). This process involved the first author generating ini-tial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, and defining and namingthemes that resulted in thematic codes that represented patterned responseswithin the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Thematic analysis is particularlyuseful in understanding influences and motivations related to how peoplerespond to events (Luborsky, 1994), and thus lent itself well to developing agreater understanding of the issues and challenges that older women expe-rienced following driving cessation. The qualitative data analysis softwareQSR N6 aided in coding and organizing the data.

RESULTS

We first present the mobility options utilized by the women following drivingcessation and then the factors linked to the adaptation to driving cessation.

Mobility Options and Types of Activities

In the women’s descriptions of how they continued to participate in variousactivities outside of the home following driving cessation, they discussedboth the types of activities and the method of transportation used (seeTable 2). The mobility options utilized following driving cessation includedtransportation provided by family, friends, paid drivers, walking, and taxis.None of the women indicated utilizing public transportation to currentlyparticipate in specific types of activities, and they discussed using pub-lic transportation very little. We divided the activities into four categories:medical activities (i.e., meeting health care needs such as going to anappointment with a doctor or obtaining prescriptions), shopping, structured

TABLE 2 Mobility Options by Type of Activity (N = 11)

Type of activity

Mobility option Medical ShoppingStructured

social eventsUnstructured

activities

Family 6 8 3 1Does not go – – 4 9Friends 1 2 5 –Paid drivers 3 3 – 2Walk 2 1 1 –Taxi 1 1 – –

Note: Several women reported more than one mobility option.

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social events (i.e., church, meetings, card parties, weddings, funerals, volun-teering, attending grandchildren’s events), and unstructured activities (i.e.,visiting with family members and friends, going for a drive, visiting acemetery). Some women used more than one mobility option in orderto participate in specific activities. One overarching theme that emergedis that the women often used different mobility options to continue theirparticipation in different types of activities.

Family members most frequently provided transportation for thewomen, but they tended to primarily provide transportation for shopping(n = 8; 73%) and medical activities (n = 6; 55%). All of the women indi-cated that they had some transportation option to allow them to shop andmeet their medical needs, and in some cases (n = 3; 27%) this involveda paid driver. Although some women had friends who helped them meettheir medical (n = 1; 9%) and shopping needs (n = 2; 18%), none of thewomen had friends who drove them to participate in unstructured activities;five of the women (45%) had friends who drove them to structured socialevents. Two women (18%) paid a driver in order participate in unstructuredactivities, and one woman (9%) indicated that family members drove her tounstructured activities.

For most of the women, the level of participation in out-of-home activ-ities diminished sharply following driving cessation. Four women (36%)indicated that they had no transportation options to attend structured socialevents, and nine of the women (82%) indicated that they had no transporta-tion option available to allow them to participate in unstructured activities, sothey simply did not go. Many of the women reflected on how this influencedthem in a negative way.

Beth: I miss all those pleasant times, because I knew so many people, andeverybody will say I haven’t seen you in ages. Where have you been? . . .I can’t get to funerals and to wakes. There’s so many people that I knew.I think there was four in one week. They were all good friends of mine,and they passed away, and I couldn’t even get to the funeral home. Youknow, they’re little things like that that bother me, and I phone and I sendcards, but you know, I like to have a personal visit.

Gloria: I miss out on all the weddings, wakes, funerals, and parties. Myhusband and I went dancing every week, and I miss those.

Several of the women made a distinction between activities that they neededto go to and activities that they wanted to go to.

Iris: I have sort of lost my interest in the reading group unless I have aride. It doesn’t seem worth the effort . . . He was very kind, but I’d rather beembarrassed asking him [a neighbor] than not get the medical attention Iwas looking for though. It was a choice, the lesser evil.

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Julia: My daughters will take me if I have a project or something . . . doingall the running around things. But for the basic, like yesterday, I had togo to the clinic to see my doctor, and I took a cab there and I took a cabback. I didn’t bother to call the girls. I feel that was sort of a necessityand the others are you know, trivial, and you want them done . . . LikeI needed to go to keep my appointment with my doctor, whereas I don’treally need to go to a wake.

Kate: I’m really not doing anything outside the home except what I reallyhave to. There has been a change.

These descriptions reflect a distinction between physical needs that aredeemed necessary and social needs that are not deemed as necessary, orimportant enough, to warrant continued participation. In sum, the womenwere less likely to ensure that they continued to participate in social activi-ties than they were to have their physical needs met. However, some socialactivities for the women also merited continued participation.

Denise: If I really needed to go, I’d make sure someone took me, but justwanting to go, I am not going to call someone to take me. So, if I need it,I can always get it. I think that about wakes and funerals. I’d like to go,but I don’t need to go. Now, if it was a close friend or something, I’d makesure I go there.

Influences on the Adaptation to Driving Cessation

Several themes emerged that provided insight into what had an impact onthe women’s adaptation to driving cessation. These included location andaccess to public transportation, access to stable mobility options, controlover mobility options, and planning for driving cessation.

LOCATION AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Where the women lived had an impact on the mobility options availableto them. Some lived near amenities, and they could meet some of theirneeds by walking if they had the physical ability to do so. Others livedin the country, and they experienced isolation if they did not have family,friends, or neighbors available to provide transportation. Five of the womensuggested that public transportation would help them maintain their lifestyle.

Iris: I wish we had buses across the Island because people are so isolated.That’s what I like about being in town in the winter. There’s lots going on,and you have flexibility. You can walk, or you can get a bus.

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Not all the women who had access to public transportation utilized it,though. Only two of the participants actually utilized the existing publictransportation system. For some, their health restricted their ability to usepublic transportation.

Caroline: I think the bus comes up this way, but I am not sure, and I don’tknow where it goes when it does come up, but I’d love to take the bus. Ithink it’s great. It’s a wonderful thing to have here. I just haven’t done ityet, but I’m not that well either. I can’t walk very far alone.

The women voiced several reasons for not using the bus, such as acces-sibility issues and the location of bus stops. Others felt that the bus did notrun frequently enough to allow them to attend medical appointments ororganized social events without spending too much time waiting for thebus, or it did not go where they needed to go. Several women expressedconcerns about not knowing how to use the transit system, and they wantedopportunities to learn how to use the bus and to understand the schedule.As Helena said, “It’s hard to get used to public transportation when younever had it.”

In general, the women appeared to desire access to a bus service tomeet their transportation needs, especially those who currently did nothave access to public transportation where they lived, or those who couldnot physically use the existing public transportation system. When publictransportation did not meet the needs of these women, they utilized othermethods of transportation or simply did not go, as indicated in Table 2.

ACCESS TO STABLE MOBILITY OPTIONS

Many of the women did have transportation options following driving cessa-tion. It appeared that the presence of at least one consistent and stable formof transportation helped immensely in their adjustment to driving cessation.Many of the women expressed gratitude for the friends and family who pro-vided them with transportation, and they recognized that not everyone hadaccess to such support.

Denise: My daughter is always around to take me places, and I justfigured well, that’s the way it’s going to be.

Helena: I have a great family, I tell you. My daughter just works [from]home and she is quite free to come . . . It would be hard for anyone whodidn’t have a family to give it up. They’d have to depend on friends ortaxis.

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Julia: With the help that I have from the friend in the other apartmentand the other girl who takes me swimming, there hasn’t been a terrificadjustment . . . I’m fortunate that I have family here. Now a lot of seniorsdon’t, and they don’t have the support system.

Kate: I’m probably better off than some people because I have somebodyto usually take me places.

Some of the women had access to multiple sources of transportation.For example, Caroline had access to transportation provided by friends andpaid caregivers, and she could also walk to some activities.

My church is just across the road, and I can take my walker and go over.My rug hooking group meets every Wednesday, and one of the girls justautomatically comes for me. And if there is anything special going on,they’ll simply include me and come for me. And I have a housekeeper orhome helper, and whenever I want to go I call her. She’ll take me anywhereand will go anywhere with me, no problems. She’s just like one of thefamily.

Having access to a variety of mobility options appeared to be especiallybeneficial, but certainly this did not appear evident in the lives of all theparticipants.

CONTROL OVER MOBILITY OPTIONS

In general, the amount of control over mobility options had an impact onthe women’s adjustment to driving cessation. Several of the women worriedabout being a nuisance and a burden by asking for a ride. They pointed outthat their children had their own responsibilities and busy lives, and theyresisted asking for rides unless no other option existed.

Abigail: I hate asking people to drive me. I mean, if they’re going, I don’tmind going along too, but I hate to make them give up their afternoon orsomething.

Beth: The family has their own responsibilities, and I kind of hate to beasking them. I just feel like I am just a nuisance. They tell me I’m not, butI feel that way.

Caroline: I have such good friends. They all take me places, and thekids all say all you have to do is call, but it’s awfully hard sometimesto call. I know they are busy. They’ve got busy lives and they have to dropeverything and come, and I just, it’s hard to do.

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Evaline: I hate asking. People say all you have to do is ask. Well, I knowall you have to do is ask, but I was too independent. I took care of myselfand everybody else and asking was not something I did.

Iris: People have been very kind about offering me rides and so on, but Ifeel like it is an imposition in a way, and I hesitate to do it.

Utilizing mobility options that allowed the women to have more controlappeared to be beneficial. For example, after she had to stop driving becauseof a heart attack, Francine kept her car and hired neighbors to drive for her.She appeared pleased with her decision and indicated that having her car inthe driveway provided her with a sense of comfort and independence. Withthis arrangement, she continued the activities she enjoyed prior to drivingcessation, and she continued participating in some of her volunteer activities.

Another of the women also found a mobility option that allowed her agreat deal of control. After she had to stop driving because of health issues,Julia and her daughter investigated the cost of taxis and found one thatprovided a good rate for long-term service. Essentially, she prepaid the taxiservice so she did not have to pay each time to use a taxi—it was not onlymore convenient, but also Julia felt that she was not being careless withher money. She also preferred the independence of this option rather thanrelying on family members and friends for transportation.

Although taxis are certainly a mobility option that can provide the usercontrol over transportation, the cost was prohibitive for some, especially forthose who lived in rural locations. Even if taxis were feasible because oflocation, not all the women felt taxis could be an option because of thecosts involved.

Abigail: There’s something about taking a taxi that doesn’t sit right withme. Whether it seems that it’s extravagant or something, I don’t knowwhat it is? I was sure I was going to have to take a taxi once, and I frettedall night about it.

Beth: Cabs are expensive, and when you’re an older lady, you got to bewatching what you’re doing with your money.

PLANNING FOR DRIVING CESSATION

Only one woman, Abigail, made plans for mobility prior to driving cessation.She made transportation arrangements with her brother, sold him her car ata reduced price, set a date for the transfer of the car keys, informed herfamily of her decision, and became a nondriver on the set date. She wasvery happy with her decision, and with a combination of mobility options

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she continued to participate in most of the activities she enjoyed prior todriving cessation.

Abigail: The impact of driving cessation was not very strong because Iwanted to stop driving, and I knew someone was there if I needed to go.

The rest of the women (n = 10; 91%) did not make plans prior to drivingcessation, primarily because they did not think they would ever becomenondrivers. For others, family pressure caused driving cessation suddenly,or illness caused driving cessation at an unexpected time. If the transition tobeing a nondriver had occurred more gradually, these women might havemade plans for this eventuality. As Caroline said:

I did not plan because I never thought that day would ever come, I supposeI thought vaguely that it would happen sometime, but I always thought he[her husband] would have to stop first because he is 87, and I’m only 83.

None of the women knew about any programs to help people who areconsidering giving up driving, and as a result, some did not think such aprogram would help them. However, some of the women did recognize theneed for a program that would support planning for the transition to drivingcessation.

Francine: Planning for driving cessation programs would be good becauseyou would be thinking about it for awhile and then if you went and gotinformation on the pros and cons of your alternatives, it would be good.

Evaline: You kinda have to plan and do it gradually, do it gradually andget yourself accustomed, and have your car there until you know you areno longer going to drive anymore.

In general, some of the women felt a program could help by stimulatingthinking, which might initiate some planning ideas that might then facilitatea smoother adjustment to driving cessation.

DISCUSSION

An important finding, only hinted at in the previous literature, was the dis-tinction between the ability of the women to continue to participate in activi-ties that they need to do versus their ability to participate in the activities thatthey want to do following driving cessation. The women, and their families,placed a higher priority on continued attendance in activities outside the

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home relating to their physical needs, and attending to social needs becamean extravagance. Other researchers also noted a similar distinction in activi-ties following driving cessation. However, the terminology used to describedistinctions in activities, such as nonessential travel, discretionary travel, orhigher order needs (Bauer et al., 2003; Davey, 2007; Harrison & Ragland,2003), gives the impression that social activities are not vital. Unfortunately,many people fail to recognize the significance of maintaining a social life andcontinued interaction with family and friends following driving cessation.

The lack of attention to the social needs of the women had an impacton their ability to play an active and meaningful role in their communitiesand families. Their reduced social involvement with friends resulted in socialisolation and a diminished quality of life. Other researchers have also iden-tified similar results following driving cessation (Harrison & Ragland, 2003;Marottoli et al., 2000). Keefe, Andrew, Fancey, and Hall (2006) emphasizethat social integration and the participation of older adults in society areoften considered indicators of healthy aging and healthy communities.

Family members and friends of older adults need to understand theimportance of continued social involvement following driving cessation, inaddition to ensuring that physical needs are met. However, the womendiscussed several barriers to asking family members and friends for trans-portation to participate in social activities following driving cessation. Inparticular, having to ask for a ride was a barrier to many of the women inthis study. In addition, family members and friends may not have the capac-ity to provide for all of the women’s transportation needs following drivingcessation. Our results thus confirm that it is imperative to develop adequatemobility options to ensure that older adults have access to whatever theyneed in order to maintain or improve their quality of life following drivingcessation (Dobbs & Strain, 2008).

The women who either planned for driving cessation or developed verycreative mobility solutions after driving cessation portrayed a sense of pridein actively taking control of their lives without intervention from others. Theyappeared to find it easier to adapt to their new lifestyle as a nondriver, per-haps because they actively participated in their nondriving decisions. Bauerand colleagues (2003) also found that women who successfully adapted totheir new lifestyle seemed to be those who made the decision without inter-vention from others. Taking control of one’s own transportation after drivingcessation can depend on a variety of factors including financial status, loca-tion, availability of family members and friends, and the availability of publicand private transportation options. Thus, taking control of driving cessationmay not be possible for all older women, and the results of this study maybe useful in helping to identify older adults who are at greater risk of nothaving their transportation needs met. Further research is needed to moreclearly understand these risk factors, which include low income, living in arural area, and dependence on only one person for transportation.

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Most of the women did not plan or prepare for driving cessation inany way, and this is consistent with the findings of other researchers (Baueret al., 2003; Kostyniuk & Shope, 2003; Liddle, McKenna, & Bromme, 2004;Whitehead et al., 2006; Yassuda et al., 1997). The women did not know ofany programs designed for those contemplating driving cessation, and, infact, there are currently no such programs operating in the location wherethe study occurred. Perhaps the lack of a planning program resulted in someof the women thinking that such a program would not help them. Othersfelt that a planning program could help by stimulating thinking and initiatingsome ideas to help plan for driving cessation. Such an educational programcould include the impact of normal aging on driving and how to accessexisting services, such as accessing existing public transit services and othermobility options. The findings indicate that specialized educational supportfor those older adults who are thinking about retiring from driving, or whoinvoluntarily have to stop driving, would be beneficial in supporting olderadults to prepare for new roles. There is still much to learn about how to bestsupport women in planning for driving cessation. Dellinger, Sehgal, Sleet,and Barrett-Connor (2001) suggest that a better understanding of the naturalhistory of driving cessation could determine whether there are critical stagesin the process when advice or counseling would be helpful. The results ofthis study indicate that providing assistance before driving cessation occurscould be especially beneficial.

Only some of the women had access to a public transportation system.Only one relatively new fixed-route bus system is available in one city inthe province. Thus, it is not particularly surprising that public transporta-tion did not play an important role in meeting the transportation needs ofthe women. Other researchers also found that most former drivers obtainedrides from relatives and friends and they used public transportation infre-quently (Kostyniuk & Shope, 2003). While there is need to expand publictransportation to meet the needs of older adults, identified as the 5 As ofsenior-friendly transportation by the Beverly Foundation (2001; availability,accessibility, acceptability, adaptability, and affordability), the results indi-cate that focusing only on public transportation is not enough. Other creativeoptions need to be developed.

While this research focused on a small group of older women, thedata collected through interviewing helped to illuminate how older womencontinued to have their transportation needs met following driving cessation,and how changes in their participation in various activities is impacted bydriving cessation. Because of the small sample size, the findings should notbe generalized to the larger population, but the results of this study shouldbe used as a catalyst for additional research.

It is clear from the women’s responses that no single mobility optionwill meet the needs of all older adults following driving cessation. Thisresearch indicates that transportation options should allow older adults to

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continue not only to meet their physical health needs but also to facilitatethe continuation of participation in various types of social activities. Havingaccess to stable mobility options, especially if the older adult has somemeasure of control over her own transportation, were particularly useful tothe women interviewed. Findings from this study provide a foundation forpossible interventions designed to decrease the negative effects of being anondriver. These could include improved services and resources to aid inplanning, decision making, and support for the transition to nondriving andimproved transportation services that take into account the needs and wantsof older women.

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