Each year 600,000 older adults hang up their car keys for good, which means they have to look to others to provide them with necessary transportation. According to the AARP, 89% of seniors rely on private vehicles for rides to important medical and dental appointments, shopping, religious services, and essential visits with family and friends. Without transportation, seniors would not only miss out on these critical medical and social appointments, but they would become more isolated, which can negatively affect their health and well-being.
Stay at Home in Wilton has provided rides to its members for over 13 years. Each member who requests a ride is assigned a driver who not only picks them up but will stay with them for the duration of their appointment and then take them home. Oftentimes, a quick stop at the store or pharmacy is included to pick up some essential items.
With an increase in membership and a need for more active volunteer drivers, Stay at Home in Wilton has subscribed to an online ride-scheduling program called Assisted Rides. The new program allows drivers to log in each week to see what rides would be convenient for them to complete, and then they simply select the ride and call the member to make the final arrangements. Rides are easy to book by the member, and volunteers can select rides when they know they have the time available.
Since introducing this new program last August, volunteer drivers have provided over 600 rides, driven 5,000 miles, and donated over 500 hours of their time.
Stay at Home in Wilton will present information about this new program to the community on Tuesday, April 25 at 3 p.m. at Comstock Community Center (180 School Rd.). The goal is to expand the program to other community organizations serving seniors to offer even more rides to the growing number of seniors in Wilton.
Email or call 203.762.2600 for more information.