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Senior Transportation
Programs Help Elders Stay
At Home
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Lack of transportation is one of the biggest
hurdles faced by aging Texans. Not being able to go where we want,
when we want is one of the biggest losses any senior will
encounter.
If your elder lives in an area with good public transportation,
one of the first resources you will want to investigate is whether
there is a door-to-door transportation service for the elderly
and/or handicapped. If your elder is beginning to "need a little
help," he or she is probably not going to be able to walk half a
mile to a bus stop in the summer heat, winter cold, or driving
rain. Carrying groceries or other items to and from a bus is
simply not practical.
Call the public transportation department in the city or county
where your elder lives. Ask about whether a "paratransit" or
senior transportation service exists, and about the enrollment
process. Because people do tend to try to take advantage of
door-to-door transportation services some cities will require
documentation from a physician, or even an interview.
Where it exists, even a door-to-door senior transportation service
won't always be very convenient. Transportation often must be
arranged as far as 48 to 72 hours in advance, and rides often have
to be shared.
Your elder's community may also have a volunteer driver program.
Many of our suburbs and smaller towns are realizing that their
residents are aging, and they are sponsoring volunteer
transportation programs. Your closest senior center will have
information about any such programs. Volunteer drivers will also
usually work to a schedule that has to be arranged in advance.
For seniors who don't live in unpopulated rural areas a taxi
service is often a good option. Taxi cabs can be a much more
spontaneous way to get around than having to "book" a ride two to
three days in advance. If you consider the cost of gas,
registration, insurance, and car maintenance, the cost of a taxi
is not much more expensive than driving a personal car. When faced
with paying for their ride, however, many seniors aren't able to
make that comparison. If they have to pull out cash for each ride
many are appalled at the price and will refuse to use the taxi
service again.A practical solution is to
set up an account with a local taxi company and have your elder
simply sign a ride ticket. The taxi company will add the driver's
tip and bill a credit card or mail an invoice on a regular basis.
Seniors who live in rural communities without access to
transportation are often forced to move simply because they have
no way to get around. If your elder lives in a rural area and
transportation is or will be a big problem, it's best to face this
fact head on and early. Begin looking for residential alternatives
while you have time to spend on looking and on waiting lists.
Waiting until you are faced with a crisis means there will be
fewer alternatives.
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