Transportation for Seniors

By Andy Niska | March 29, 2013 | Comments Off on Transportation for Seniors

When it comes to transportation for seniors, Love at Home Senior Care has the resources available to help you and your loved ones feel safe, relaxed and at ease.

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The National Institute on Aging estimates that over 500,000 seniors over the age of 70 give up driving annually. Plus there are many more who should stop driving but continue to travel on the local streets and highways.

It’s a difficult situation that seniors and their families find themselves in especially when seniors tend to be a very safety-conscious and thoughtful group as a whole. So why would they continue to drive when they are afraid or suspect it’s unsafe? Usually because there is more involved with the senior driving than just the safety issue. It’s really about his or her independence and the feeling that losing driving privileges means losing independence. And this loss of independence is one thing seniors work to avoid, sometimes at all costs.

Many seniors deny their real limitations and driving difficulties long after driving has become dangerous for them and others on the roads and parking lots.

How Does Age Change a Person’s Ability to Drive?

Here are some examples showing how the body naturally changes over time:

Senses – The older a person gets the more their eyesight and hearing can become impaired. Often the loss is very gradual and the person becomes accustomed to compensating for it so he or she doesn’t realize how poor his/her hearing and sight have become. Common compensations are to stop driving at night or on the highway because darkness and high speeds make it more difficult to see road signs, traffic lanes, signals and turns. Instead many seniors choose to drive only during the day and on back streets they are more familiar with.

Body Movement & Mobility – As people age joints may become stiff and muscles weaken, especially when not used as much or as often. Seniors tend to give up the “heavy work” thus their muscle strength is reduced to match the lack of activity.

Response Time – Reflexes start to slow as a person gets along in years, and this can cause reduced response times, especially when traveling in high speed & congested traffic and unexpected situations that may arise.

Decision Making – High speed & congested traffic, unfamiliar territory, and aggressive drivers can raise a senior’s stress level causing uncertainty and impair the individual’s ability to think clearly and make decisions.

In addition to the above, Medical Conditions can also Compound these Changes:

Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and diabetes can affect vision and left untreated can cause blindness.

Arthritis, Parkinson’s Disease and Stroke Related Paralysis reduce the ability to move within a motor vehicle. This may make it difficult to turn on windshield wipers, adjust accessories or turn to look for lane changes and backing up in reverse.

Diabetes, Depression, and interrupted sleep patterns can affect mood, attention and response times.

Alzheimer’s Disease and other Dementias have been known to affect a person’s thinking and behavior. Thus a senior with this kind of disease who is driving, may find that they get lost or are unable to remember how to get to their own home.

How do we know when it’s time to give up driving?

This is the real question that senior’s need to ask themselves instead of avoiding the topic altogether. There’s no magic age to hanging up the car keys. Some people find that they have to stop driving at 60, while others can drive safely into their 80’s and 90’s.

Here are some things for seniors to ask themselves before making the big decision:

  • Do other drivers often honk their horns at me?
  • Have I had some accidents – even small scratches or “fender benders”?
  • Do I get lost, even on roads I have traveled on for years?
  • Do other cars and pedestrians seem to “appear out of nowhere”?
  • Have family, friends, or my doctors expressed concern about my driving?
  • Do I drive less these days because I’m not as sure about my driving as I used to be?

If the senior’s answer is “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to think seriously about the driving safety of the senior, other motorists and innocent pedestrians.

If the senior’s answer is “no” to all of these questions, it’s very important to have hearing and vision checked regularly and talk with a doctor about any conditions that may affect driving. These actions can help a senior feel more comfortable about driving and feel safe when they get behind the wheel.

Could there be life without driving? While loss of driving privileges is a traumatic change to a person who has been behind the wheel for decades, it is often necessary for the safety of the senior driver, potential passengers and the public. The good news is that giving up driving doesn’t have to mean losing independence or social connection. It’s a lack of planning and knowledge of options that leads seniors to lose hope when they stop driving. The keys to helping our seniors cope with the inability to drive are planning and experience.

At Love at Home Senior Care we can help your loved one stay mobile while maintaining his or her independence.

Here are some of the driving options available to most seniors:

  • Friends and family
  • Public Transportation (bus or shuttle service)
  • Taxi Service
  • Non-Emergency Ambulance Service
  • Companion Care
  • Limousine

These options differ greatly in cost, convenience and reliability. And certainly there are other aspects to consider with these options like comfort, friendliness, security and cleanliness. So it’s very important to compare the costs and benefits of other transportation options with the cost of having a personal vehicle.

Transportation Type Convenience Schedule & Response time Personalization / Familiarity Cost
Ambulance-non emergency Low Moderate Low-moderate Very high
Companion Care High High High Moderate
Family/Friend Moderate Moderate High Low
Limousine High Moderate Moderate High
Personal Car High High High High
Public Transportation Low Low Low Low
Taxi Service Moderate Moderate Low Moderate

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Public Transportation for Seniors

Think you can’t afford companion service, taxi’s and buses? The first thing to do is see if the service provider offers a senior fare or discount. Then take a hard look at what the costs are to keep your automobile on the road for the limited amount of driving that you do. Check the cost of insurance, maintenance and gasoline for one year and then divide by 12 months or 52 weeks. You may be surprised by how much you have available to spend on an alternate form of transportation!

It’s always easier to experience something new with a trusted friend or family member. It’s even more helpful if a family member or friend accompanies the senior the first time they use a new transportation option – new things can be a little scary the first time around.
So that’s why seniors should get together with family members to help determine what transportation is really needed. Create a weekly schedule of outings based on your senior’s social and personal activities. Check with local agencies such as the Area Agency on Aging, church & civic groups and local senior centers. And remember to let the senior know that calling for a ride won’t be a bother and put anyone out. That’s what these services are there for!

Not sure what transportation options are available in your area? Contact Us today and we’ll help you find the best solution for you or your loved one’s transportation needs.
Andy Niska
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Posted in Personalized Services, Safety, Transportation for Seniors and tagged , , , ,