When Seniors Don\’t Drive

Lack of transportation is one of the biggest hurdles faced by aging Americans at home. With the exception of New York City, Chicago, Boston, and a few other large cities here and there, public transportation for seniors is usually inconvenient or non-existent. Not being able to go where we want, when we want is one of the biggest losses we encounter as we age in America.

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 service for the elderly and 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 where your elder lives and inquire about whether such a 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.

Public transportation, even door-to-door service, is not always convenient because it often must be arranged as far as 48 to 72 hours in advance.

Your elder\'s community may also have a volunteer driver program. Many of our suburbs 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. These drivers will also work to a schedule that has to be arranged in advance.

Taxi services are always a good and more spontaneous alternative to public senior transportation for seniors who don\'t live in rural areas. 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. Many seniors aren\'t able to make the cost comparison when it\'s time to pay a taxi driver, however. They will be appalled at the price if they must pay cash for every ride. A practical alternative 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, and begin looking for residential alternatives. Waiting until you are faced with a crisis means there will be fewer alternatives.

The Eldercare Team invites you to learn how to help an elderly parent or other relative deal with all the ins and outs of the eldercare maze. Pick up resources, more articles and plenty of tips about helping seniors at http://www.eldercareteam.com

Assisted Living Assistance
One of the unavoidable facts of aging is that the bodies gradually lose the faculties which enabled us to live independently and take care of ourselve...

Reverse Mortgage Loans - Expert Advice for Seniors to Make the Best Decision
Do you need money now?Then looking at a reverse mortgage could be your ticket to removing your financial problems, and retiring stress free.A Reverse ...

Depression Is a Stage When You Start Losing The Meaning Of Life
Depression is a stage when you start losing the meaning of life. A sense of lost, lost about self, lost in purpose. You dont know where to go. No more...

Knowing When to Get Help - Part 2
We discussed the first 5 indicators for knowing when to get help. As if that wasnt enough, there are 5 more. Of course you or your loved one may onl...

Why Every Senior Needs a Medical Alarm
While Americans enjoy longer lives than they ever did, it also means that Americas elderly community is seeing new problems. Because of recent medica...

Should You Fly or Drive to your Destination?
If you are like me and you tend to do a lot of long distance traveling then you will often come up against the decision to either fly or to drive to g...

Minding Our Elders: Dad - Just Give Me the Keys!
Alice came in saying shed gotten lost. My mother-in-law had gone to the grocery store the same one shed shopped at for thirty years. It was four bloc...

Mobility Scooters for Seniors
As a person gets older and gets afflicted with debilitating diseases, getting aroundrThe house becomes more and more difficult. If an elderly person i...

Assisted Living On Long Island - What Do Seniors Do For Fun?
Long Island is a beautiful place for senior citizens to happily spend their retirement. Far enough away from the hustle and bustle of New York City, L...

Senior Adults Discover the Joys of Computer Literacy
It seems every day lately, seniors using computers are making their presence known. CNN.com published an editorial in mid-November about the rising nu...

Strategies on Paying for Nursing Home Care and Medicaid
The decision to place your loved one into a nursing home is anr extremely difficult decision, often causing much guilt for ther caregiver. It is a ver...

Senior Living Facility - You Get To Choose
Many people approaching retirement age develop a strong sense of "things left undone" and plan their retirement around getting them accomplished. Ret...

A Medical Alert System Is A Lifeline For The Elderly Generation
One of the most well-known medical alert systems available today is "Lifeline." If you have elderly parents and are the sole caregiver, regardless of...

Exercise Equipment Home Fitness Gym-Don’t Invest In A Gym Before You Have A Plan
So youre looking for exercise equipment for your home fitness gym? Actually, owning this equipment can really be a time saver, because you dont need ...

Make Impossible Possible With Reverse Mortgage Loan
Every day one comes across several kinds of financial products like loans, mortgages and remortgages but have you ever heard of a loan that you could ...