Austin senior transportation for aging in place
Aging in place is becoming an increasingly popular option for seniors throughout the country, meaning that they are staying in their homes with dignity as opposed to entering assisted living or a nursing home. These seniors need reliable access to rides to live their lives to the fullest. Furthermore, the number of seniors looking for a ride is increasing because life expectancies are going up. We need reliable Austin elderly transportation to ensure that these people can get to where they need or want to go. Otherwise, seniors may give up the things that they want or need to do because they can’t figure out how to get there.
For instance, seniors may be less likely to attend religious services, head to the grocery store, visit friends, and even seek medical care if they cannot secure a ride. The lack of medical access can prevent seniors from treating existing medical conditions or having new ones diagnosed, meaning that a lack of reliable transportation can compromise other aspects of a senior’s health.
Statistics and facts about Austin senior transportation
What are the risks associated with senior driving in Austin?
Seniors may slow down as they age, compromising their reaction time behind the wheel. There is no set age at which seniors should stop driving, but many eventually need to give up their car keys for their own safety. The chart below uses information published by Finder.com to compare the number of senior transportation deaths in Texas to the national average:
Number of Senior Deaths (65+) | 65+ Population | Rate of Senior Deaths per 100,000 | |
---|---|---|---|
USA | 11,252 | 74,629,409 | 15.08 |
Texas | 684 | 3,734,229 | 18.32 |
The rate of senior deaths per 100,000 people is higher than average in Texas, and Seasons wants to do something about that. Our resources make it easier to locate reliable rides for your loved one, preserving their safety by keeping them away from the driver’s seat while also giving them the freedom to go wherever they please.
How does giving up driving affect seniors in Austin?
While not going where you please is one of the most obvious effects when seniors stop driving, it isn’t the only one. A 2018 study conducted by KRC Research Surveys investigated how seniors and younger adults living with disabilities feel as a result of not driving. Here are the results:
Feel Dependent on Others When Giving Up Driving
Feel Frustrated By Giving Up Driving
Feel Isolated As a Result of Giving Up Driving
None of these are positive emotions, meaning that the inability or unwillingness to drive may adversely affect a senior’s mental health and well-being. Making senior transportation in Austin more accessible could help mitigate these feelings, giving seniors a better quality of life filled with the activities they enjoy. Seasons is an excellent resource to use if you or your loved one don’t know where to turn for a ride.
What’s considered safe, reliable senior transportation in Austin?
Taxi services can pick people up and drop them off someplace else, but senior transportation needs to accommodate the seniors who use it. Many elderly people use wheelchairs, walkers, or canes to help them move around, and senior transportation has to account for these tools. Likewise, seniors may need help getting into and out of vehicles or assistance walking from their door to a car. Senior transportation drivers also have to be punctual to ensure that seniors make it to their appointments on time and be willing to remain on-location to ensure that the individual has a ride back home. The average taxi service provides none of these things.
Senior rides in Austin
Your loved one may not be driving anymore, but that doesn’t mean that they should feel left out. We can connect you with quality senior transportation in Austin that the senior in your life can use whenever they have someplace to go. Try our resources today and watch your loved one’s world open up.