Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie released a report May 10, which concludes changes are required to address some of the existing transportation systems for seniors and recommends a new program is required to fill some of the gaps.
Dubbed "Seniors Transportation: Affordable, Appropriate and Available," the report looks at traditional transit, including HandyDART and Taxi Saver vouchers, which Mackenzie says offer support to some seniors some of the time, but can’t fill all transportation needs for all seniors.
According to the report, at the age of 65 approximately 90 per cent of B.C. seniors have a driver’s licence, but this drops to approximately 44 per cent by 85.
Mackenzie says it’s challenging when seniors begin retirement by driving to activities and appointments but find, many years later, that they’re still living independently and engaged with their community, but are not able to get out and about by car any longer.
She adds that while family and friends can fill many of the gaps, that’s a shrinking resource and not all seniors have that support. The report highlights the fact that getting a person from point A to B does not totally capture the transportation needs of frail and vulnerable seniors.
Many seniors may have the physical ability to take a bus or use HandyDART, but they have cognitive challenges that require someone to accompany them or their physical frailty requires someone to assist them throughout their trip. None of the current programs provide for these needs and even with recommended improvements, the report notes they will continue to fall short.
To fill the gap, Mackenzie has recommended a new program called “Community Drives,” which would be administered under the existing home support program. The provincial home support program assesses the physical and cognitive function of seniors, determines what their needs are, determines how much they can contribute to the cost of needed services and hires, schedules and supervises thousands of staff who assist seniors in maintaining their independence.
Along with helping seniors get bathed, dressed and ensuring they take their medications, the program could easily schedule someone to pick up the senior and take them to a medical appointment. Using the existing infrastructure of home support will allow the program to get up and running quickly and will reduce duplication. The report notes that a roundtrip outing on Translink’s HandyDART costs the province about $80, while an hour of home support can cost less than $38.
In addition to the new service, Mackenzie has called for improvements on a number of fronts.
“We need to offer a little more support to older seniors who may be trying to navigate the public bus system for the first time in 60 years,” says Mackenzie, who recommended a provincial “Seniors Bus Buddies” program be developed that would pair seniors up with someone who could help them figure out how the bus system works and even ride with them for the first few times.
Other highlights of the report include:
- Expanding the HandyDART system and expand weekend and night time routes.
- Costs related to fuel and parking be allowed as a tax deduction for friends and family who drive those frail seniors who are no longer able to drive themselves.
- Review the costs charged by physicians for the Driver Medical Examination Report. Mackenzie recommends that all Class 5 licence renewals that require a report be treated the same.
- Improvements for pedestrians because walking is a form of transportation used by many seniors.
- Examine the shortcomings of the taxi industry.
A complete list of the 15 recommendations and the full report is available at seniorsadvocatebc.ca.
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