Understanding Accessibility Needs of Senior Visitors in Religious Environments: A Scoping Review Protocol on Inclusive and Universal Design Applications

Introduction

The demographic composition of the world’s population has shifted significantly in recent years, with an increase in the number of elderly people. India is the country with the highest population in the world, making up 17% of all people on the planet with 1.31 billion people. India’s population overtook China’s in April 2023, according to the United Nations Population Division (United Nations Population Fund, 2023). Studies on active aging have considered the positive effects of tourism, and the effects of senior travel on physical and mental health are now recognized as important public health concerns. Growing religious and cultural tourism can help senior adults live more hospitable and sustainable lives and interact with others in a social setting that improves their physical and emotional health (Lin et al., 2021). Activities related to religion and culture have developed over time to provide people with a means of finding spiritual comfort, maintaining their beliefs, managing their personal anxiety, and protecting their physical and mental health as well as their quality of life (Lin et al., 2021). The elderly are one of the most vulnerable age groups—spiritually especially. Therefore, in addition to being a resource for features of culture, history, leisure, and tourism, religious and cultural activities may maintain the physical and mental health of the elderly and provide them with a stable mind (Huber, 2019). The Indian government produced “Guidelines for Making Religious Places Accessible” in January 2019 after realizing the importance of accessibility in places of worship and collaborating with Svayam and the office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. These rules could be very helpful in making sure that this and other places of worship are welcoming to everybody.

Family members typically help older people with daily tasks and medical care. Apparently, some of them are reluctant to go places by themselves. Even while they are not at home, a lot of people are dependent on other people. They avoid going to public areas because they are afraid of leaving their house because there aren’t many barrier-free and age-friendly built environments. For this reason, additional services and accommodations are needed to help people with impairments navigate hospitality environments. Giving PwDs an equal chance to participate in congregational prayers in the prayer hall alongside other devotees is why accessibility is so important. The PwDs are burdened by physical barriers created by the lack of access, which eventually makes them less likely to visit mosques (Rangga et al., 2020). Wheelchair users were found to be unable to enter mosques. The existing situation prevents wheelchair users from engaging in a crucial aspect of their faith by forcing them to pray alone in their homes. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has passed laws requiring public spaces to be wheelchair-accessible; however, the acts are not being carried out in a way that would enable wheelchair users to live meaningful, independent lives (Abu Tariah, et al., 2018). Religious culture is an activity and a characteristic tourism resource. Engaging in religious and cultural activities can help people stabilize their emotions and use resources to plan leisure and tourism activities (Vail III, et al., 2019).

According to the investigation that was carried out, (Palmer Peterson, 2021) proposed PwD said that using exit, restrooms, ramps, elevators, and signage—all crucial elements of accessibility—was difficult for them. PwD encounter barriers that prevent them from entering most public locations, including restaurants, banks, medical institutions, retail establishments, and mosques, all of which are commonly visited. According to (Grinberga & Ulme, 2020), Christianity in the contemporary world is based on customs, the words and works of God, and the endorsement of society. As a result, it needs to be all-inclusive so that everyone can use the services on their own and take part equally in church events. There has been extensive research on the relationship between geographic accessibility and people’s daily lives. Since spirituality is one of the essential components of the sociocultural system, which is genetically established by national tradition (Polumysna et al., 2022), argue that it is imperative to assess the degree of accessibility for all believers. The research undertaken by (Alawadi et al., 2023) indicates that religious institutions have a significant impact on people’s social and political lives, beyond their use as places of worship. These sites hold celestial and spiritual value, yet they have received little attention in urban planning and transportation studies. A mosque is a building designed to serve the community, as is any other Muslim worship area housed within a public building. Any obstacles that might make it difficult for people with disabilities to perform their religious rituals must be eliminated. Several locations within the mosque are inaccessible to those with physical disabilities, especially the entrance, the ablution area, the restrooms, and the area where shoes must be removed to enter the prayer hall. These locations are particularly problematic for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, or crutches (Al-Mansoor, 2018).

Even in well-known temples, the minimal wheelchair accessibility has drawn criticism from individuals with disabilities who feel that it violates their rights. India has been a member of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) since 2010. However, most of the sacred sites in India lack accessibility for persons with disability. The Government of India started the ‘Accessible India Campaign’ in December 2015 to address concerns connected to universal access and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Article 9). On December 28, 2016, India implemented the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act (Saha et al., 2022). Today, when we talk about social justice, equality, human rights, and inclusion, there shouldn’t be any conflict between building new barriers or demolishing old ones—either physically or digitally.

The goal of inclusive design is to provide settings, goods, and services that are useable and accessible to a wide range of people’s requirements, skills, and histories. It highlights how crucial it is to consider the whole spectrum of human uniqueness and make sure that everyone can engage and contribute equally. A framework for integrating accessibility and inclusivity into the design process is provided by inclusive design principles. To satisfy the needs of various users, consider offering options, modifications, and several ways to get information (North Carolina State University, Centre for Universal Design, 1997). Creating venues that meet the varied requirements and preferences of every person, regardless of their background, skills, or identities, is made possible in large part by inclusive hospitality spaces. The United States’ historic Americans with impairments Act (ADA) forbids discrimination against people with impairments and establishes accessibility guidelines. It is a crucial resource for creating accessible, inclusive hospitality venues that adhere to accessibility standards.

The application of accessibility measures especially designed for the elderly in religious contexts is still largely lacking, despite the growing awareness of the necessity of inclusive design in public spaces. There aren’t many thorough guidelines that cater to the needs of senior visitors, and existing research frequently ignores the special difficulties that older persons encounter when accessing these venues. Furthermore, little research has been done on how accessibility needs interact with cultural and religious sensitivities, which could create obstacles to full participation.

Method

Discussion

A scoping review is the greatest way to map and synthesize larger evidence and gaps across numerous disciplines. To the best of our knowledge, no scoping review has been completed in senior tourism. We are undertaking the first scoping review to understand the research patterns and extent of senior visitor accommodation preferences. The TCCM framework organizes the review into four dimensions: theories, context, characteristics/variables, and techniques. This scoping review aims to better serve elderly travelers by addressing their growing accessibility needs. We will perform a comprehensive literature search to track research development and coverage in this subject from beginning to the present. This study will not analyze article quality, as it is not an essential criterion for performing a scoping review. However, peer-reviewed studies published in journals will be considered to balance the findings. This protocol outlines a clear and transparent process for conducting scoping reviews in any relevant topic. The study’s reliance on English-published articles may limit its scope, as some studies may contain valuable data in other languages.

Ethical considerations

This scoping review uses secondary data from published studies and does not involve human participants directly.