The Needs and Problems of the Elderly in Urban Areas:A Case Study of Central Qom

According to evaluations, urban areas have not still provided suitable physical platforms for the attendance of the elderly as members of vulnerable groups who require support. Recognition of the needs and problems of the elderly as the target groups may lead to more effective results. The area under study was the streets of the central section of Qom where 150 elderly pedestrians (50 individuals in Eram Street, 50 individuals in Hadaf Street, 50 individuals in 19 Dey Street) were interviewed randomly. Data collection tools included questionnaires and also interviews. The findings indicated that leaving home and walking in the streets by the elderly is done with the purpose of meeting their subsistence needs (32%), emotional needs (31.33%), security needs (18%), participation in social life (10%) and recreational needs (8.66%) during which such restricting and threatening factors as stairs and rough surfaces, little understanding of  street signs, lack of space for sitting along a path, fear of stumbling, collision with high- speed cars and automobiles and feel of insecurity may prevent them from their easy, safe and fair attendance in urban areas. The main demand of the elderly commuting in streets of the central part of Qom is that streets are designed in a way that cyclists and motor-vehicle drivers are prevented from entering sidewalks, installing railing alongside the ramps, providing safety when crossing the street. In the end, a number of solutions are suggested in the field of transportation planning based on the 3E-principle (engineering, education, enforcement) to be practiced in the urban planning.