BRANCH Lab
Behavioral Research in Aging, Neuroscience, Cognition, and Health

connectivity image

Neighborhood Walkability

Assistant professor Amber Watts at right, walkability studyWalking is the most common form of physical activity for older adults and walking most frequently occurs within a person’s neighborhood. Measures of neighborhood walkability can help us understand what makes a person more likely to walk either for leisure or for transportation. Our studies have shown a relationship between the characteristics of neighborhoods and the health and cognitive function of older adults.

Watts, A., Ferdous, F., Diaz Moore, K., & Burns, J. (2015). Neighborhood integration and connectivity predict cognitive decline in older adults with and without Alzheimer’s disease. Gerontology & Geriatric Medicine. doi:10.1177/2333721415599141

Liebmann, E., Breda, A., Watts, A., Ferdous, F., Diaz-Moore, K., & Burns, J. (2015, Nov). Neighborhood Characteristics and Dementia Status Predict Physical Functioning in Older Adults. Paper presented at the 67th annual meeting for the Gerontological Society of America, Orlando, FL.

Research shows easy-to-walk communities can blunt cognitive decline


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