- Westminster was named the best place in the UK for elderly mobility, with London boroughs sweeping all top 10 spots.
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Scottish islands rank lowest, revealing a growing divide between urban access and rural isolation.
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Experts say walkable neighbourhoods, local hubs, and healthcare access are key to keeping older adults independent.
New research from home rehabilitation experts at Medella Home Physio & OT has discovered that London boroughs have the best locations in the UK for elderly mobility, with Westminster taking the top spot.
The study examined 315 areas across the UK, scoring each on their access to gathering places, green spaces, healthcare facilities, and recreation centres to create an overall mobility opportunity index for older people.
Top 10 areas for elderly mobility in the UK
|
Rank |
Area |
Index score (out of 100) |
|
1. |
Westminster |
87.69 |
|
2. |
Camden |
83.81 |
|
3. |
Southwark |
77.16 |
|
4. |
Wandsworth |
75.62 |
|
5. |
Haringey |
73.93 |
|
6. |
Islington |
72.92 |
|
7. |
Hackney |
71.67 |
|
8. |
Tower Hamlets |
71.67 |
|
9. |
Merton |
71.58 |
|
10. |
Lambeth |
71.42 |
1. Westminster – 87.69 out of 100
Westminster ranks first as the area most supportive of the elderly to be mobile, with an index score of 87.69. This score is thanks in part to the index scores from outstanding access to healthcare at 99.12, recreational facilities at 96.80, and gathering places at 95.39.
2. Camden – 83.81 out of 100
Camden ranks second in the study with an index score of 83.81. It also scored 92.93 points in recreation centres and 92.72 points for gathering places (such as cafés, libraries, and community hubs).
3. Southwark – 77.16 out of 100
Southwark comes in third with an index score of 77.16. It scores highest for healthcare access metrics, scoring 90.76. It also provides strong access to places of gathering, scoring 86.60. Recreation facilities also rate highly at 84.62.
4. Wandsworth – 75.62 out of 100
Wandsworth comes in fourth with an index score of 75.62. This high ranking was primarily impacted by access to healthcare at 86.61, recreation facilities at 83.61, and gathering spaces at 84.58.
5. Haringey – 73.93 out of 100
Haringey rounds out the top five with 73.93 points. Haringey’s index score is most affected by a rating of 85.77 for healthcare, 82.42 for recreation, and 81.61 for gathering spaces.
Places six through ten are populated by Islington in sixth with a score of 72.92, Hackney and Tower Hamlets tied in seventh (71.67), Merton in ninth (71.58), and Lambeth rounding off the top ten at 71.42.
Naomi Patrick from Medella Home Physio & OT commented on the findings,
“This study brings some important questions around mobility in older adults into the light. Urban areas, especially London, clearly benefit from access to services that support an active and independent lifestyle. Geographic isolation can severely limit elderly mobility.”
“Green spaces play a vital role in encouraging physical activity among older adults, and it’s encouraging to see areas outside London performing well in this category. However, for comprehensive mobility support, elderly people need access to a mix of facilities – healthcare, social spaces, and recreational options.”
Methodology:
17 factors were used to compile the index. Each factor in the study was carefully reviewed and scored on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 representing the lowest and 10 the highest performance based on the data available. For any factor where a higher number meant a worse outcome, the scores were flipped to keep things consistent. After that, each factor was weighted based on how important it was to the overall picture. These weighted scores were then combined to give each area a final score out of 100, which was used to rank them.
Featured Photo by Ugur Akdemir on Unsplash.
