Transportation keeps people connected to the world. A critical aspect of daily life for most people, reliable transportation is especially important for seniors striving to maintain their independence.
Senior community transportation services play a huge role in enhancing the quality of life for older adults. Easy access to healthcare, social activities, and essential services makes life less stressful and more fulfilling.
Seniors can enjoy a more active and fulfilling lifestyle by choosing a senior community with robust senior living transportation options. Read our guide to learn how these services can make local travel effortless for your senior.
For a senior, access to transportation helps maintain independence. Imagine if you could no longer drive and had to rely on a family or friend for a ride -- all the time.
If older adults don't have easy access to essential services, they may miss healthcare appointments. The average person would feel frustrated if they could not take care of personal errands on their own time. That's precisely how many seniors feel when they quit driving.
Another reason seniors need transportation services is so they can participate in regular outings and social activities. Getting together with friends improves mental health by reducing the effects of social isolation.
Reliable transportation for seniors also eases the load on caregivers, giving them peace of mind and maybe even a little extra time.
Many adults stop driving in their late 70s to early 80s. Some people drive well into their 90s.
The decision to give up the keys often depends on individual health, mobility, and comfort levels. Factors like declining vision, slower reaction times, and medical conditions can influence the choice to give up driving.
Regular assessment of cognitive function is one way to determine if it's time to encourage your senior to stop driving.
When choosing the right senior community, you'll want to understand what types of transportation services a senior community offers. Some make a variety of transportation options available to meet different needs. Here are a few to ask about when researching communities:
Some communities partner with local transit agencies to offer discounted or specialized services for residents. Make sure to discuss these options when you tour our community -- Addington Place of Prairie Village. It's helpful to know what types of transportation services your loved one will have access to before making any commitments.
When considering transportation options, there are several factors to keep in mind. As much as they'd like to, most senior communities don't offer 24/7 transportation. Here are some tips and critical things to note:
You'll want to know how often the services run. Are they dependable? There's nothing more frustrating than waiting for a ride, only for the driver to be un-fashionably late.
Make sure transportation services go to places your loved one needs to go. Most seniors need transportation to medical appointments, grocery shopping, and social activities.
Even if your loved one doesn't have problems getting around today, that could change in the future. In the United States, 12% of adults have mobility issues, which means making sure vehicles used in senior communities have ramps or lifts.
Some senior communities offer transportation services as part of the accommodation fees. Others may offer transportation on an as-needed basis, for an extra cost. Understand the costs involved and whether there are flexible payment plans.
In a perfect world, you can book transportation in advance. Sometimes a person needs on-demand services. Are both options available in the community where your senior wants to live?
Finally, make sure the drivers responsible for providing transportation know how to assist seniors, particularly those with special needs.
In real estate, location makes a huge difference in where people want to live. When considering location, make sure to find out about the types of transportation options available.
If you choose a community in an urban area, there may be more public transit options. Those options may be closer to amenities, which means a lot for convenience and accessibility.
Suburban areas may or may not have robust public transportation. When living in the suburbs, many people rely more on community-provided or private transportation, such as ride-sharing.
Moving to a rural area often means limited or no public transit options. In rural areas, senior community transportation is vital.
Consider how close the community is to family and familiar places, as this can also impact your decision.
For older adults, it's always important to think about the future. As residents transition from independent living to assisted levels of care, the community typically offers additional transportation support.
Seniors may still drive or use scheduled shuttle services. At this level, most older adults can drive for shopping, medical appointments, and social activities.
Transportation services become more personalized. Options often include door-to-door service with trained staff to help with mobility issues.
Communities provide specialized transportation at this care level. Drivers use vehicles adapted for residents with mobility issues. Residents use the service for transportation to medical appointments and supervised outings.
It's essential to thoroughly research senior communities and visit them in person to assess how well they can adapt to increasing mobility requirements for residents. Look for communities with a clear plan for addressing changing mobility needs.
Transportation is a vital factor when choosing the right assisted living community. It affects independence, health, and quality of life.
Partner with Addington Place of Prairie Village when you're searching for a place to call home. We are the preferred choice for senior living in Prairie Village, Kansas.
Call or visit us today to learn more about our senior community transportation services and the other fantastic amenities our residents enjoy.