{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,2]],"date-time":"2025-10-02T09:13:18Z","timestamp":1759396398816,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,2]],"date-time":"2025-10-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759363200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Urban Science"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The growing demographic trend of an aging population, particularly in remote rural areas, exacerbates social isolation and limits access to essential goods and services. This vulnerability highlights a pressing need to develop sustainable solutions for their mobility and support. Using Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and network analysis, a workflow was developed to optimize road-based transport for the elderly. The analysis utilized an electric vehicle, with its range limitations, influenced by road slopes, being a critical variable for assessing route efficiency. Two potential solutions were investigated: (1) the delivery of goods and medicines and (2) the transport of passengers and medicines. The methodology was tested using the Municipality of Seia, Portugal, as a case study, with a defined weekly visit frequency. The results demonstrate that both proposed solutions are technically viable for implementation, with the transport of passengers and medicines being the most effective option. This study provides a foundational framework for developing practical, demand-oriented, sustainable transport and logistics services to support isolated elderly populations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/urbansci9100408","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,2]],"date-time":"2025-10-02T08:20:28Z","timestamp":1759393228000},"page":"408","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["A GIS-Based Approach to Fostering Sustainable Mobility and Combating Social Isolation for the Rural Elderly"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Lu\u00eds","family":"Branco","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Beira Interior, 6200-358 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5545-892X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bertha","family":"Santos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Beira Interior, 6200-358 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"GeoBioSciences, GeoTechnologies and GeoEngineering (GEOBIOTEC) Research Unit, Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Beira Interior, 6200-358 Covilh\u00e3, Portugal"},{"name":"Civil Engineering Research and Innovation for Sustainability (CERIS) Research Unit, Instituto Superior T\u00e9cnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Aug\u00e8re-Granier, M.-L., and McEldowney, J. 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