So now you (or your loved one) find yourself stuck at home. How will you buy groceries? Pick up prescriptions? Visit the mall? Get to the doctor’s office?

Transportation is probably the single most important worry faced by those who want to age at home but can no longer drive their own cars. The loss of independence is profound after a lifetime of being able to come and go wherever and whenever you pleased.

Enter drivers: City or county-sponsored discounted services; volunteer drivers from community and religious groups; specially-arranged taxi services – and, increasingly, paid private concierge-type services which provide not just driving, but also companion services.

The obvious advantage of the city-county provided transportation services is that, like volunteers, their services are free or low cost. A problem with these services is that they are relatively inflexible in terms of both pick-up times and destinations. Certain cab companies offer discounts and specially-trained drivers whose vehicles have wheelchair ramps (not lifts). You can buy or rent a wheelchair van. Rentals with drivers cost about $90 per hour. Purchasing a wheelchair van can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $45,000, but finding private van drivers can be difficult.

Concierge companion services will take you wherever you want to go when you want to go, just as if you were getting into your own car and driving yourself. They will take you to your doctor’s office and even sit in with you if you wish them to take notes. They will take you to your hair appointment. They will take you and your pet to the vet or the groomer. Like you, if you were driving yourself, they will make stops to buy a birthday gift for your niece, visit your favorite deli, and fill your prescriptions, while providing educated, warm companionship along the way.

Concierge companion services, such as those of the company I founded in 2005, are an excellent solution for many clients. Such private companies charge from about $40 to $60 per hour. They are not limited merely to providing driving services directed by the client; they provide services from grocery shopping to locating pet walkers and house cleaners for you, to locating and supervising handymen, plumbers and electricians for home maintenance needs, and, for many, sociable companion services to accompany you on your walks around the block or to the opera.

AAA estimates that driving a typical car an average distance per year costs the driver-owner about $7,823 per year. Older individuals tend to use their cars less frequently and over shorter distances, so let’s reduce that average to $5,000 per year. At $50/hr for driving and companion services by a private concierge, two hours of private driving, errand-running and companionship per week for one year would cost only $5,200. With concierge drivers, you have your own chauffeur for just a little more than you paid when you could still drive yourself in your own car.

Excerpt from Buckley’s book, Elder Care: The Road to Growing Old is Not Paved.  Visit theroadtogrowingold.com.

Dave’s experience in the Navy during the Vietnam War generated another area he finds very interesting-  the weather.  During his four years in the military, Dave worked as a weather observer in the Navy’s weather service.  For stints of six to seven weeks he spent time out at sea on an aircraft carrier.  Their main mission was to land and launch planes on the deck, an incredibly difficult job in good weather and next to impossible in foul weather.  Dave’s critical job was to track the weather and relay information about current conditions to the pilots.  “The Navy sent me for about six months of specialized full-time study,” he commented. “I haven’t stayed in touch with anyone I served with in Vietnam but I am Facebook friends with all the local forecasters and have made lots of other internet friends.”

These friendships and connections are particularly important to Dave because of health problems that forced him to start using a wheelchair.  “I used to get out and around with a walker but I lost strength and now find that I need a wheelchair.”  It was this shift that prompted Dave to look for a new way to get groceries.  “When I used the walker I could still take the Victory Forest bus up to the Giant in Wheaton and get what I needed,” he said.

With the wheelchair, Dave said he found transportation and shopping much more difficult. He also did not have a computer at the time for ordering groceries online.  “I remembered seeing an article in Guide to Retirement Living SourceBook, when I was looking for senior housing, about a nonprofit grocery program that took grocery orders by phone.”  That service was Top Banana Home Delivered Groceries.

“Now, I’m pretty much a regular.They carry just about everything I want.  If I needed it, which luckily I don’t, the drivers would even be happy to put the groceries away.  They’ve always been great,” said Dave.  “Occasionally they help with something small around the apartment.  And Mavis and Marise, who take my orders, have been super.”

As he gets his prescriptions and other items delivered by Kensington Pharmacy, Dave now has a computer to also occasionally use Peapod.  But most Fridays, when Top Banana delivers in Montgomery County, he looks forward to seeing the drivers and getting his brown bags of groceries.

For over 16 years, her family lived abroad, and she enjoyed traveling and sharing in the cultures of various countries. Her memories of those years are fun-filled and adventurous, and Marge often brings her stories to life with her hilarious wit. Upon her return to Northern Virginia, she continued raising her family.

Marge is the mother of three children and has seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. While raising her children, she was also involved with the Citizens for a Better City and volunteered to edit her church bulletin.

“They give lots of help to a woman in her 90s,” says Marge about the local Elder Care company that now assists her with errands and daily tasks, Buckley’s for Seniors. Driving is difficult for Marge due to health reasons. Marge’s daughter, who works full time, contacted Buckley’s for Seniors last year to lend her mom a hand.

Buckley’s for Seniors has provided many services for Marge, such as transportation to and from doctor and hairdresser appointments as wekk as trips to the pharmacy, hardware and grocery store. Buckley’s staff helps Marge put away her groceries, and they were even there to help her set up her Christmas tree.

Carey, a member of the Buckley’s for Senior’s staff, comes two mornings a week to assist Marge. Marge says, “She helps me just like my own daughter would. I don’t know what I would do without her!”

Carey is a local stay-at-home mom like many of Buckley’s staff members. The staff members are college-educated mothers or recent retirees who provide intellectual companionship, as well as a helping hand. Every time Buckley’s visits, Marge gets to choose where she needs to go and which errands she needs to run.

Now in her 90s, Marge still enjoys knitting, crocheting, gardening and bird watching. While she has had to give up some of her hobbies, she remains active. “My daughter won’t let me use the kiln for pottery-making any more,” Marge admits. She gave up pottery, but she is well aware of the importance of remaining busy.

Marge enjoys going to her regular appointments and visiting with the many merchants she has done business with throughout the years. “It’s nice to have someone help me run errands and manage things around the house,” Marge concludes.

The couple, married for 39 years, has a son and three grandchildren. While Dan worked as a database programmer for the National Association of Letter Carriers, his wife was a word processor. In their free time, they enjoy playing board games and collecting pelican memorabilia.

A few years ago, a rare complication from diabetes caused Dan’s wife to have mobility problems and a lack of balance as she attempted to walk on her own. But after breaking her right leg, she was unable to walk at all and had trouble getting out of her wheelchair.

The couple, as a result, had been utilizing a transportation service to get to and from her rehabilitation facility. They were disappointed to learn, however, that the company was booked for a particular day during which they had a scheduled appointment.

It was then that someone recommended Falcon Transport, a service that covers non-emergency transportation including medical appointments, social engagements, errands and airport shuttle. The Gallaghers decided to give the company a call and as Dan said, “We’re pretty well hooked with them.”

Dan said the driver took the couple to their primary physician’s address which was a long distance away. Once there, however, the physician determined that Dan’s wife had pneumonia and needed to get to the hospital right away.

“He took us to the emergency room even though it was not planned and stayed with us for hours,” said Dan. “He was willing to stay, which was pretty unbelievable to me.”

Dan also appreciated the fact that he was only charged the amount he would have paid strictly for the physician’s appointment. Ever since that day, the couple has used Falcon Transport several times. And every time, Dan said they are right on schedule.

“I have had a great experience with them,” he said. “I’ve read horror stories about the metro service, so having this reliability has been really good for me.”

Now, Dan and his wife never have to worry as to whether they will be picked up or have a ride home from their engagements. The Gallaghers are just one example of how transportation and concierge services are making everyday challenges stress-free.

Imagine you are living in a community where you know your neighbors. Imagine that your patio needs weeding, and you prefer not to do it. In this neighborhood, a simple phone call can have someone over to take care of your weeding. Perhaps you need some home repairs, or you are returning home from the hospital after surgery and need some assistance. In this neighborhood, you can get assistance from trusted volunteers and providers with one phone call. This type of neighborhood is becoming a reality, and the Washington, D.C. region is the launching pad for several.

How it all started
Nearly 90 percent of Baby Boomers say they want to stay in their homes and close to family and friends as long as possible, according to a survey by AARP. The challenge these individuals face, however, is that if they do nothing to prepare for future needs, they may not be able to continue living in their homes as long as they would like.

Residents of Beacon Hill, a downtown Boston neighborhood, responded to the challenge of staying in their community by joining their neighbors to take control over where and how they will live in the years to come. They formed a non-profit, Beacon Hill Village, which serves those aged 50+ in central Boston, to take advantage of social, cultural and wellness activities without leaving their homes. The various services provided are designed to respond to the members’ specific needs and wants which include concierge services, comprehensive home care, home repair, house cleaning, grocery shopping, transportation and other services.

Where it is going
In 2007, Beacon Hill Village sponsored a workshop which community leaders from 27 states attended. The Village to Village Network has been formed to offer leaders the opportunity to share resources and connect. There are now dozens of groups at various stages of development in the Washington metro region and they have formed a group, Washington Area Villages (WAV), that meets regularly.

Customized to the neighborhood
The design and implementation is customized to the needs and wants of the specific neighborhood. Most of these groups have done informal and formal research to determine what the members want, and are designing their program to address those needs. Consequently, no two programs will be exactly the same.

According to Vice President of the Palisades Village Group, Alicia Juarrero, the interest stems from the bottom-up effort of these communities. “One thing we believe in is that before doing anything else, organizers must query eligible neighborhood residents on exactly what services they want and need,” she said.

DC Area Villages and Aging in Place Models        

Virginia

• Reston for a Lifetime
• At Home in Alexandria
• Glencarlyn Citizens Assn Elder Village
• Mount Vernon At Home
• Mosby Woods Village  mosbywoodsvillage@gmail.com
• Shepherd’s Center of Oakton-Vienna

• At Home Chesapeake
• Bannockburn Neighbors Assisting Neighbors
• Burning Tree Village
• Chevy Chase At Home
• Garrett Park  bonniebtyler@aol.com
• Partners in Care

• Capitol Hill Village
• Dupont Circle Village
• Georgetown Village
• Glover Park  patclark@cpcug.org
• Kalorama Village
• Northwest Neighbors Village
• Palisades Village
• Pennsylvania Avenue Village East

• Village to Village Network
• Timebanking USA
• Pioneer Network
• Advantage Initiative
• Shepherd’s Centers of America
• Cohousing
• Community Without Walls

•  ’Village’ groups help seniors remain in their homes as they grow older – Washington Post
• ‘Villages’ Help Neighbors Age At Home – NPR
• Aging Services: What You Need to Know about Villages – AAHSA
• Aging in Place — A Graceful Living Option for Seniors – Kaiser Health News

Children of aging adults who balance a full-time job, raise children of their own and have countless errands to run can feel very overextended when it comes to caring for their own parents. Making sure their own tasks get accomplished is overwhelming enough, but the added pressure of undertaking their parents’ needs can leave them racked with guilt and stress.

Whether the elderly individual lives with their children or in their own home, they are often left without the proper companionship and mobility they so desperately need to stay connected with the outside world.

Transportation or personal concierge services can give older adults a lift while raising their spirits as well. Not only do they provide a ride to and from important errands and engagements, but they can impart valuable companionship upon people who so often feel isolated from the world.

Getting from here to there
Sometimes, all older adults will require is a ride from Point A to Point B. With the transportation services available throughout the Washington, D.C. Metro area, you can be certain that your parent or loved one will receive a safe and reliable ride. These services can be less costly than a series of cab rides from place to place, and you’ll know that someone will be help personally accountable for the safety and happiness of your special rider.

It may be time to consider a transportation provider are if your parent or loved one has experienced memory loss, and inability to perform routine tasks, impaired judgment, slowed reaction time or a diminished attention span. Some older adults may even find that they like riding with a companion much better than being behind the wheel alone. This buddy approach will ensure that all the errands for the day get finished, and appointments are kept with punctuality. Some providers will often leave a full report of the day’s activities, pointing out any important developments or snags along the way for future reference.
Wheelchair accessible transportation services are available throughout the area, but check in advance before booking services through a company. All special needs should be accommodated, with no questions asked.

Not just a ride, but a friend
Many transportation services go above and beyond the simple ride, offering personal concierge services so your loved one will experience healthy companionship. For many seniors who wish to remain in their own homes as they age, completing daily tasks such as cooking, shopping, medical appointments and filling prescriptions can become too much to handle alone.

Concierge services know that seniors do not have to sacrifice their independence simply because of age or a disability. These providers can help make a stay at home easier and more enjoyable by taking part in favorite hobbies with their clients, and helping with ordinary tasks of every day life.

Some popular uses for concierge services include grocery shopping, cleaning and organizing, computer training, bill paying, post office errands, dry cleaning, pet services, laundry and gardening. Of course, most concierge services are open to suggestion and will accommodate any reasonable request to serve those in need.

Time is valuable, and for the children of these aged loved ones who work full time, this companionship is an important supplement to the care they provide at home. Next time an older friend or parent needs assistance, don’t spread too thin. Consider using a transportation or concierge service to make them most of your time and ensure that your loved one is receiving safe and appropriate care.

A Harvard-trained physician specializing in neurosurgery, Dr. Simmons travels to Georgetown University Medical School three mornings a week, where he teaches neuroanatomy to first-year medical students. From there, he frequently continues on to the headquarters of So Others Might Eat, (SOME), a private, non-profit organization serving the poor and homeless in Washington.

Here, he provides treatment to patients in need at the organization’s free clinic. Other afternoons, Dr. Simmons volunteers as an instructor at Julius West Middle School, where he offers one-on-one mentoring to kids who can benefit from intensive guidance to reach higher scholastic levels.
Hebrew Home is a community that provides quality and compassionate rehabilitation and long-term nursing home services to those in need. The community is located in Rockville, Md., just outside the Washington DC Metropolitan area.

Thanks to his motorized wheelchair and Metro Access, a shared-ride, curb-to-curb transportation service for individuals with disabilities, the doctor enjoys the freedom and mobility to pursue his medical and social service commitments. Although he has been a resident at the Hebrew Home for the past five years, where he receives daily care and assistance as well as access to special therapeutic equipment, Dr. Simmons has been able to arrange and maintain an active schedule that defies belief.

Having graduated from high school at age 14, medical school at age 20, served in Viet Nam and survived POW captivity, earned one Ph.D. in American History and a second Ph.D. in Economics, taught high school, practiced neurosurgery at Georgetown University Hospital over a 20-year period, and, last but not least, attained the title of grandfather, Dr. Simmons has experienced enough victories and challenges, past and ongoing, to fill several lifetimes. And, he is certainly not done yet!

Mrs. Newhall, a former science librarian at Haverford College, was introduced to her Intervention Associates case manager, Kate Foster, during her hospitalization two years ago. Intervention Associates is a non-profit case management and home health care agency affiliated with Friends Life Care at Home. Intervention’s home health division provides home health aides and companions for individuals who wish to remain at home but need some assistance.

“I was leaving the hospital, and knew that I needed some assistance as I recuperated,” Mrs. Newhall recalls. “Kate and I talked about what supports I would need, such as help with grocery shopping and getting to physician appointments. She arranged all of this, and continues to visit me to ensure that things are running smoothly.”

Mrs. Newhall has experienced a few subsequent health problems, but these setbacks have not dampened her keen observations or her lively sense of humor. Of her ongoing experience with Intervention’s home health aides, she says, “It’s been important to me that they’ve gotten to know me and my preferences.”

Realizing that she was not alone, nor did she need to be, has given Mrs. Newhall peace of mind. Of her relationship with her caregivers, she says, “These are relationships that develop over time. My experience with Intervention’s staff has been both useful and helpful.”

As her relationship with her home health aides has developed, Mrs. Newhall’s trust in them has increased.

“I have a great amount of confidence in them,” she notes. Because of the reliable assistance of her caregivers, Mrs. Newhall is doing well. Her seemingly complex situation was easily handled by the qualified team she assembled.

“Many parallels exist between life in a retirement community and life at a summer camp,” says Mrs. Borie. She continues, “Obviously, retirement communities are far more luxurious, but the community spirit is the same. There is a sense of camaraderie and unity. Everyone is here because they want to enjoy retirement, and we are generally cheerful, happy campers.”

Mrs. Borie knows well how to be a happy camper and how to keep campers happy. As the Executive Director of the Girl Scouts in Philadelphia, she served a troop base of over 20,000 local girls. She managed a full-time staff and an army of volunteers numbering over 6,000. Mrs. Borie credits her success in the position to experience gained through the Girl Scouts: “I had a background in girl scouting from my childhood. I rose up through the ranks and learned most of my management skills working as a camp director.”

In 1977, Mrs. Borie moved from Chicago to Philadelphia in order to fill the Executive Director position. Having worked in the academic and corporate worlds in the 60s and 70s, she was fully aware of the limitations that were placed on professional women. This did not stop her from wanting “to make decisions, to have real authority,” she says. Her pursuit for professional challenges led her back to where she began. She recalls, “I thought, ‘Where can a woman be in charge?’ Then, I thought, ‘Why did I ever leave the Girl Scouts?’”

Her move to Philadelphia provided the career opportunity she had been looking for, but it also led to an unforeseen benefit. She met her husband, Mac, after moving to the city. Mac was a Marketing Director with Quaker Oats Company. He built an exceptional sales force and spent a lot of time traveling. The two hit it off quickly.

After retiring, the couple began to consider a move to a retirement community. They were motivated by a desire to plan ahead. Mrs. Borie explains, “I was the medical power of attorney for a friend who contracted pulmonary fibrosis very suddenly. During the 14 months that I spent trying to find care for her, I received a crash course in all things elder care. I learned just how difficult it is to find quality care, especially once you are very ill.” Shortly thereafter, Judy and Mac discussed their own retirement plans, and he agreed that he did not want to leave the future to chance. For Mr. Borie ensuring that he was never a burden to his three children was imperative.

When they began their search, the Bories were looking for a place that was pet-friendly and had easy access to the city via public transportation. Because of her frequent visits to Girl Scout volunteers living in local retirement communities, Mrs. Borie already had a community in mind. Cathedral Village, a CCRC in Philadelphia, is on a bus line connecting it to downtown, welcomes dogs, and has an active, diverse resident population.

“I had already seen enough of Cathedral Village to know that we would fit in, and the location was perfect,” recalls Mrs. Borie. The Bories placed their name on the community’s waiting list. They were planning to spend the next several years in their family home, but when they learned of the community’s plans to build new townhouses, they faced an immediate choice.

Initially, Mrs. Borie was hesitant about moving right away. She explains, “I was only 68; I thought I was much too young to move.” However, as they reviewed the plans for the new homes, they became more interested. They also considered the fact that Mr. Borie had recently had bypass surgery. “We actually sat down and wrote a list of pros and cons. I quickly ran out of cons,” Mrs. Borie says.

Moving day offered a poignant glimpse of their new lifestyle. After unloading their boxes in the pouring rain, the Bories were attempting to settle in. Mrs. Borie decided to take their dog, Dusty, out for a walk. She remembers, “It was raining so hard, and Dusty, who didn’t understand this move, was frantically pulling me everywhere. I was trying to keep her on the walkways when she pulled me into a concrete pillar. I broke my glasses, and my face immediately started swelling.”

Mrs. Borie was not injured, but she was very bruised. What might sound like a horrible moving day provided an important lesson. When the community staff heard about her accident, they came to check her injury to be sure it was not serious and offered to walk the dog. “I knew then that I wasn’t alone. I was really part of a community,” Mrs. Borie says.

With that type of welcome, it is no surprise that the Bories have quickly adjusted to life at Cathedral Village. She says that she often feels like she lives in a “luxury hotel” where “no detail is forgotten.” With the daily chores taken care of, the Bories are finding more time to pursue other interests.

For Mrs. Borie this includes her work with various non-profit boards, as well as increasing responsibilities within the community. She is a Trustee with the Kardon Institute for Arts Therapy and with the Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia. Since her recent election as the President of the Resident’s Association, she is gradually shifting her focus from outside activities to more involvement in resident life. As President, she is concentrating on maintaining the high level of communication that exists between Cathedral Village residents and management. Once her tenure as President is up, she also plans to spend more time taking classes at the on-campus, lifelong learning program, Village College.

Mr. Borie works part-time at the nearby Morris Arboretum. He is also a full day volunteer at the Chestnut Hill Hospital. Closer to home, he has volunteered at the nursing facility on campus and is always impressed with how well it is maintained and operated. Both Mac and Judy are pleased with the “absence of day-to-day stress” that their new community affords them. It is almost like being on vacation, or maybe like going away to camp.

There are camps for nature lovers, computer whizzes, equestrians, and even future astronauts. They all have unique mottos and offer singular experiences. The same can be said of retirement communities. Of Cathedral Village, Mrs. Borie says, “I wasn’t here three days before I figured out that the culture of Cathedral Village revolves around the idea that this is the good life. The culture doesn’t encourage complaining, and it nourishes positive attitudes.” With such a buoyant atmosphere-not to mention amenities that far exceed roasted marshmallows and rope swings-it is no wonder that the Bories are such happy campers.

Easy Rider is a collection of successful activities, sample materials, and case studies contributed by transit systems that have taken steps to make public transportation more attractive for seniors. More than 6,000 transit systems nationwide currently provide some form of service for older riders. These activities range from reduced fares and expanded use of low- floor vehicles to personalized travel training sessions and policies that allow drivers to deviate from bus routes to get as close as possible to requested stops. “Aging Americans need to plan for their transportation security just as they plan for their financial security,” said William W. Millar, APTA’s president. “I’m proud that our industry is responding to this challenge. By sharing stories about transit’s best practices, we will spark new and improved services in communities throughout the country.”

Despite the best efforts of transit agencies, the mobility needs of America’s aging population are becoming increasingly critical. During the next 20 years, the number of Americans age 65 and older will double — from 35 million to 70 million. Last year a study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, AARP, and APTA found that the United States is ill-prepared to provide adequate transportation choices for a rapidly aging population of baby boomers. More than half of all non-drivers age 65 and older stay at home and often become isolated largely because transportation options are limited, particularly in rural and smaller communities. This resulting isolation has serious social and economic ramifications for the nation.

“There is no single solution to this problem,” said Millar. “Easy Rider promotes a broad range of programs that are helping seniors feel more comfortable and more likely to use public transportation. We want the list of successful ideas and services to grow. Easy Rider is a beginning, not a conclusion.” Easy Rider is an industry-wide effort that calls attention to the importance of creating and maintaining a vital, usable transit system for older Americans.

Over the coming months, under APTA’s leadership, Easy Rider will continue to collect and share information about exemplary transportation activities aimed at helping older Americans maintain their mobility. In anticipation of the White House Conference on Aging, October 23 – 26, 2005, APTA will continue to highlight the critical mobility challenges facing the nation as our population ages and to showcase transit systems that are addressing these special needs.

“The mobility needs of seniors are no longer simply family or personal issues, but must be a national priority,” said Millar. “The most successful senior mobility programs do not operate in a vacuum. Only through federal and local partnerships that reward community collaboration will long-term, viable transportation options be available to older Americans now and in the future.”

Article courtesy of the American Public Transportation Association.