Senior transportation services in Melbourne, Florida play a bigger role than you might expect in the wellbeing and health of our community. The median age in Melbourne is 10% higher than anywhere else in the state of Florida. Not to mention, people over 65 represent the largest growing population.
#1. Mobility & Accessibility are Key
Regardless if a senior lives alone or in an assisted living program of some type, mobility and accessibility are crucial to a patient’s health and wellbeing. Accessibility covers everything from the ability to access groceries to scheduled doctor visits. After all, without proper nutrition and healthcare, it’s easy for one’s health to slide.
Senior transportation services help seniors maintain accessibility. Our door-through-door services prevent mobility from presenting an issue in ones’ ability to access the services and goods they need.
#2. An Estimated 6 Million Elder Americans Suffer From Depression
This fact is important because the underlying cause is often the inability to do the things one wants to do. Why? Due to lack of transportation or mobility. The loss of a driver’s license plays a big role in this, as it presents challenges for how to do things that once came easily. It can also crate an unsafe predicament in which seniors do not have the means to make it to their scheduled medical appointments, or other engagements.
Imagine this scenario: your husband/wife is sick at a hospital just a few miles down the road. Without the ability to drive or walk several miles, you might not be able to visit your loved one —a scenario that could easily lead to depression and isolation for both partners.
From visiting loved ones to making it to your doctor appointments on time, we are here to help seniors in Melbourne get where they need to be.
#3. Non-emergency Medical Transportation Covers More Than Just Doctor Appointments
Another way to beat the elderly blues is by getting to know your local senior center and all the amenities it has to offer. The Wickham Park Senior Center in Melbourne, Fl., charges just $20 per year (for people 50 and over) to be a member. Members enjoy access to exercise classes, dance lessons, group outings, and so much more.
Getting to know other local seniors helps establish a community elderly people can rely on. Regular access to activities deters depression, helping maintain greater mental and physical health.
While senior centers may offer transportation to certain events, we are more than happy to provide rides when needed.
#4. Age Alone Does Not Influence Your Ability to Drive
Senior transportation services are crucial in a lot of different circumstances and for seniors at all walks of life. You might be surprised to find age alone doesn’t influence one’s ability to drive. In fact, according to newsroom.aaa.com, “Not until age 85 and older do drivers begin to experience the highest rate of fatal crash involvement compared to any other age group.”
Instead, it’s usually a combination of medical conditions that impact a driver’s ability to safely navigate the roads. Common medical conditions that impact a senior’s ability to drive include reduced vision (cataracts, macular degeneration, glaucoma,), movement (arthritis, hip or knee replacement), and cognition (dementia and strokes).
Sometimes, a senior requires a ride to a doctor appointment because they will be given a certain mediation that will impact their ability to drive. Or, perhaps they are going in for a medical treatment that will leave them feeling tired and groggy, in which case we are the safest way to get home. In other words, we frequently transport seniors who drive and maintain a license.
Do you need a ride? Contact us today for a free quote!