Keep on walking

Abstract

Keep on Walking is an internship research group that is focused on the walkability of the elderly people in Osdorpplein Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The research group of three Hogeschool van Amsterdam students was carried out during a four-month period. The three interns all had a very important role to play during the internship, which brought a very positive vibe to the project. They were able to see each other’s points of views while performing and carrying out the many different activities, while all voicing their opinions and contributing in a professional manner. The interns researched, interacted and created an audit tool to help understand the safety of elders in Osdorpplein and if the elders are able to live a healthy lifestyle. The research of this internship is being put towards a greater research that is being done by the RIVM. The RIVM is exploring all areas of Amsterdam and working to ameliorate the lives of the elders. With an introduction on audit tools from the RIVM the interns were able to complete their research through exploring different situations in different areas of the world, by interacting with the elders of the area of focus; Osdorpplein, and using maps and photos to compare and evaluate the data. Through this report we will explain in depth how we approached and completed different stages of the internship. We are proud to say that Osdorpplein does not have a lot to change in the community, as the elders are feeling capable and confident in their abilities to be active. To conclude our report we will explain our recommendations and discuss how we feel our research will be beneficial to RIVM and the district council in the future.