Being mobile : electric mobility-scooters and their use by older people

There is increasing use of electric mobility-scooters by older people in South Australia, the fourth largest state in Australia. Although various issues about their use have been raised by users, carers, urban planners and legislators, to date they have received little research attention. The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to explore the factors that influence and impact upon older people who use mobility-scooters, particularly from their own perspectives. Data were collected through a survey of 67 current electric mobility-scooter older users, and through two focus groups with other older South Australian people who were users. The data showed that more than 71 per cent of the participants had owned their scooter for more than two years, most had purchased the scooter as new, and 80 per cent owned a four-wheel scooter. The scooter was used predominantly for getting to and from shops, visiting friends and family, and to go for rides. Most respondents used their scooters three to five times each week and travelled between two and five kilometres from their home. The key findings from the focus groups were categorised into three major themes of ‘obtaining a scooter’, ‘the meaning of mobility’ and ‘issues around sharing spaces’. Each is exemplified. The implications for environmental and building design, for the better training of users, and for public education are discussed.