Beating Isolation With a Transportation Service for Seniors
Most older adults reach a point when it’s time to give up the keys. Age-related changes such as compromised vision and hearing, arthritis, slower reflexes, and potential medication side effects make it more dangerous to drive.
However, while giving up the keys may keep aging loved ones and others safer, it also puts older adults at risk for senior isolation. Keep reading to learn how transportation services for seniors can help them stay safe and connected.
Signs It’s Time to Turn in the Keys
Just as there are common signs indicating loved ones need more support to safely age in place at home, AARP cites some of the most common signs it’s time to give up the keys. It may be time to discuss giving up the keys and using alternative transportation services for adults 70+ if you notice:
- Delayed response to unexpected situations
- Becoming easily distracted while driving
- Decrease in confidence while driving
- Having difficulty moving into or maintaining the correct lane of traffic
- Hitting curbs when making right turns or backing up
- Getting scrapes or dents on car, garage, or mailbox
- Having frequent “close calls”
- Driving too fast or too slow for road conditions
Your conversations around retiring the keys are more likely to succeed if you have other senior transportation services at the ready. While your loved one will have to process the emotions associated with losing a sense of autonomy, they’ll begin to see how your plan keeps them equally active and in charge.
Senior Transportation Services Support Healthy Social Lives
There are several ways senior transportation services support healthy, social, and independent lives for aging adults.
No Disruption to Their Daily Routine
First and foremost, using a home care agency to provide transportation means a seamless transition in calendar appointments. Our caregivers drive clients to/from all of their regularly scheduled activities, including:
- Lunches and outings with friends
- Meetings and club activities
- Shopping
- Routine medical/dental/vision/specialist appointments
- Regular visits to their beautician, barber shop, nail salon, etc.
- Seasonal and holiday events in the community
- Pet care and veterinary visits
- Grocery shopping and errand running
- Attending family/friend events such as birthday parties, concerts, sports games, etc.
Our caregivers are dedicated to our clients’ calendars and make sure they don’t miss anything.
Outings and “Field Trips”
By the time giving up driving is being discussed, most of our clients have already minimized driving distances or stopped attending evening events due to night-blindness. However, once we step in to take the wheel, the world is their oyster again.
Our caregivers regularly discuss a roster of potential outings and “field trips” available in the area, focusing on our clients’ wishes and activities that align with their innate interests or traditions. As a result, clients rave about the fun outdoor activities they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise.
These range from playing bingo or attending a dance at the local senior center to visiting historical locations and taking accessible hikes in county and state parks. We even accompany some clients on overnight or weekend visits to their favorite destinations.
Regular Companionship
Studies show that the majority of adults 65+ prefer to age in the comfort of their own home. However, without the support of their family and licensed home care agencies, many are forced to transition into other communities/facilities. This means your parent or grandparent may not have the same network of friends and colleagues in the local area.
When you enlist senior transportation services, loved ones also gain companionship. Our caregivers are assigned as a team, meaning anywhere from three to five caregivers will take on the driving and other homecare services you select over time. Clients form strong, positive bonds with their team, creating a built-in social network.
Support Running Errands and Grocery Shopping
Home care services take a long-term approach to client care. As a result, we know that our services will be tailored and honed to meet clients’ needs now and into the future as age-related changes demand extra support.
Errand running and grocery shopping are popular home care services. At first, most of our clients come along to provide personalized instructions and to do everything on their own as they always have. Inevitably, our caregivers step in and provide more support and physical assistance as needed, so clients don’t overtire themselves.
In time, when requested, we also offer meal preparation using the groceries we’ve purchased to ensure our clients have access to fresh, homemade, healthy meals and snacks.
Reduced Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness
The CDC is clear that lack of social engagement and loneliness increase aging adults’ risk of depression, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness. They consider loneliness in senior populations “a serious public health risk,” citing that seniors who report loneliness and depression have shorter lives and more rapid progression of common health conditions.
Providing opportunities for regular social engagement and the transportation services necessary to get seniors where they want to go are two of the most important ways to prevent senior isolation.
Senior Transportation Services You Can Trust
Affordable Senior Home Care offers senior transportation you can trust. Unlike other options, such as public transportation or dial-a-ride, clients set the schedule so they can be anywhere they want to be, seven days a week. Our services are guaranteed to prevent senior isolation and its associated risks and dangers.
Senior transportation services are not all we have to offer! We are here to provide layers of in-home support. Learn more about why this is so important and why it’s critical to avoid senior isolation.
