Age-friendly communities and perceived disconnectedness: the role of built environment and social engagement.

To examine the effect of access to outdoor space and buildings and social or community events on elders' perceived disconnectedness. Data were from a representative survey conducted as part of an age-friendly community initiative in a large midwestern city in the United States. Hierarchical logistic regression was employed to examine the relationships between environment, engagement, and connection. Having access to ramps to enter buildings reduced the odds of perceived disconnectedness by 79%, participation in social or community events reduced the odds of perceived disconnectedness by 83%. The odds of perceived disconnectedness for elders "not sure" of their access to public buildings were around 6 times that of those without access, holding all else constant. Ensuring access to ramps to enter buildings, disseminating information about the accessibility of parks and buildings, and social or community events may reduce elders' perceived disconnectedness.