Older adults
Walking in later life
Making sure we can keep walking in later life is vital to ensuring we stay physically and socially active.
Walking combats loneliness and isolation by providing opportunities to stop and chat. Participation in regular organised walks provides regular physical and social activity for people who might otherwise be less active, and less socially engaged.
Living Streets helps older adults overcome barriers to walking, whether that’s damaged footways, a lack of resting places or inadequate crossings. We work with communities, local authorities and partners to identify the issues and create streets which are safe and welcoming for all ages.
Our walking projects promote healthier lifestyles and ensure people can stay active and connected with their communities in later life.
Walking and coronavirus
Coronavirus (COVID-19) can make anyone seriously ill. But for some people, the risk is higher. There are two levels of higher risk: ‘high risk’ and ‘very high risk’ (also called extremely vulnerable).
The current government guidelines are 'stay at home', asking everyone to stay at home except for essential reasons. You can still leave the home for exercise but should maintain at least two metres distance from others.
Whatever your situation, it remains important to stay active as well as safe. We have published resources and #WalkingFromHome blogs, which are full of inspiration and advice to help you stay active.
Small steps
Through our Walking Connects project, we have developed 'small steps' resources to help older people build or maintain a walking habit.
We know that older people are as diverse as the population as a whole, and it is hard to generalise about what will help or suit everyone over 60. Small steps offers a range of ideas, resources and examples of success for people to pick from to suit their circumstances.
There are also resources for friends and family who want to support someone with starting or maintaining a walking habit, and for people who work with older people who want to make places walking-friendly.
Our work with older adults
Streets Apart - London
We're looking for volunteers to take part in our award-winning Streets Apart project, which is being extended into Havering and Barking & Dagenham.
Walking Connects - Scotland
We’re working in partnership with older adults across Scotland to take action for safer, better streets for walking, and encouraging walking in later life.
Walking Friends -
Wales
We’re looking for people over 50 to join us for an exciting project to help you be more active.
Sheffield Age Better
Listen to the experiences of men and women who participated in a project Living Streets helped deliver in Sheffield.
Wythall Walking Friends
An innovative project in the West Midlands has seen staff at a local company provide led walks for older people in the area. Watch our video.
Even a few additional steps a day for the most sedentary can deliver vast mental and physical health benefits
Since April 2013 over 700 older adults have taken part in our walking projects.
And those small steps have had big outcomes, as these numbers reflect.
68%
Are more connected with their community.
70%
Feel less lonely or isolated.
76%
Feel fitter or healthier.
80%
Feel less stressed or anxious.
What you can do
Work with us
Do you work for a local authority, school or company and want to know how we can work together to reproduce the kind of successes we talk about on this page?
Step this way!
Sign up for our emails
Living Streets can only do what it does with support from you.
Sign up for our emails, and we will keep you updated with our successes, and how you can be a part of it.
#WalkingFromHome: Sheila Wall
Sheila is 86 years old, and has been out and about for walks in her local area during National Walking Month
20.05.2020
#WalkingFromHome: Rita Moore
Rita has been going on daily walks during lockdown. The amazing health improvements she is seeing are proof that walking really is a miracle…
12.05.2020
#WalkingFromHome: Older People
What can older people do this National Walking Month to keep walking, keep active and keep well?
15.05.2020