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Old 03-29-2015, 12:20 PM
 
Location: Lakewood OH
21,695 posts, read 28,326,496 times
Reputation: 35862

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Quote:
Originally Posted by old_cold View Post
A question for those of you that have used or do use the senior van service.
A few of my neighbors have and they all complained that while it usually picked them up and got them where they needed to go in a reasonable amount of time, there was absolutely no assurance of when they would be picked up and brought back home.
In several cases a trip for a 10AM doctor's apt, for instance, resulted in not getting back home until 2 or 3 in the afternoon leaving them sitting in the doctor's office for two or more hours.
Is this just an unusual local problem?
Yes, that is true in many cases. One reason why there is such a long wait in most situations is these vans have to pick up a lot of people. Often there are not enough vehicles to accommodate them all so they have to squeeze everyone in on the same schedule. The van I sometimes used in Portland was like that. It was one that the public transportation company supplied. One of the drivers told me it was due to cutbacks and bad management which didn't surprise me because that whole system is a mess.

Here in Cleveland heights where I now live, there is one clinic I got to where the bus system would be a large pain to get to. I call on the Senior Center to take me to and from. Because they don't accommodate a large area, I don't have to wait very long either way so it's not so bad.

I take the regular city bus for all other appointments. Sometimes it gets me there too early but that's something you have to deal with when taking public transportation. I have dealt with it all my life so I just bring a book or get something to eat in the cafeteria. Sometimes I actually get seen early by the doctor because I get there early. You just never know.

There is no denying it's a totally different lifestyle than just jumping into your car and going whenever you want to go. I understand that people find that difficult to adjust to that way of life. It really slows you down. I can emphasize with all of those who now have to climb aboard my boat because I've been sailing in that ship all my life.

 
Old 03-29-2015, 03:15 PM
 
105,811 posts, read 107,799,717 times
Reputation: 79425
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr5150 View Post
I live in a rural/wild area and we have a good hospital with specialists 10 miles away. It is a regional hospital in a town of 5000. There is also helicopter service should something really serious happen.

Honestly, I am not willing to give up living where I want to out of fear of a situation that may never come to pass. I'd rather be happy. What if I die before I am not able to drive any more? Then what???? I'd rather not dwell on the what ifs. We have people in my area in their mid-to late 80s still able to drive. Driving is less stressful in rural areas than urban areas-that's one reason those old folks can still drive.

More likely is there will be viable self driving cars (in 10 years or less) should I get too old to drive, in say 20 years.
actually i found driving in rural areas very stressful. most roads where we were ,were just single lane in each direction..

grandma goes out for a drive and cars are stacking up on top of each other.

i hated driving on those 1 lane in each direction roads.

i just found rural to boring . it was like every day we would ask each other what you want to do , i don't know what do you want to do.

we just ran out of things to do after only 2 years there.


but for some that is what they want , it just wasn't for us.
 
Old 03-29-2015, 04:43 PM
 
248 posts, read 339,183 times
Reputation: 1050
Amazon Prime for just about any needs except for fresh fruits and vegetables, one of these: TWIKE | Home or it's ilk because they don't require a license or perhaps a bicycle with an electric motor, planning ahead as to location and everything being close at hand, taxi service in a pinch and perhaps rent out a spare bedroom to some whippersnapper at a low price in return for help with the yard, the gutters, opening up pickle jars, and fixing the computer thingamabob when it misbehaves.
 
Old 03-29-2015, 05:48 PM
 
16,365 posts, read 30,083,242 times
Reputation: 25410
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dollydo View Post
Cute,,,,,young,,,chauffer. All these millennium's who claim they can't find a job, here is one for them, we baby boomers can keep them in business for many years to come.

You are more likely to find an older person 55-70 who would be willing to drive you around to a doctor appointment or a grocery store.

My father subsidized his grandchildrens' college education for years but they cannot find the time to give him a ride when he needs it.
 
Old 03-29-2015, 07:28 PM
 
Location: Sierra Nevada Land, CA
9,455 posts, read 12,477,246 times
Reputation: 16449
Quote:
Originally Posted by mathjak107 View Post
actually i found driving in rural areas very stressful. most roads where we were ,were just single lane in each direction..

grandma goes out for a drive and cars are stacking up on top of each other.

i hated driving on those 1 lane in each direction roads.

i just found rural to boring . it was like every day we would ask each other what you want to do , i don't know what do you want to do.

we just ran out of things to do after only 2 years there.


but for some that is what they want , it just wasn't for us.
Yea, for some the rural life is not right. As for driving, give me light traffic on pretty roads. Much better than playing bumper cars going 65MPH on a four lane freeway. I do notice that our older friends who live in the city no longer drive much for any distance, because of the traffic. (One friend takes AMTRAC from San Jose to the station an hour away and we pick her up). Our small town/rural older friends think nothing of doing road trips.

The secret to small town living is doing things with people and enjoying outdoor stuff. If shopping and theater is what does it for you, it not gonna work. But at least you gave it a shot and that is what matters!
 
Old 03-29-2015, 09:08 PM
 
16,365 posts, read 30,083,242 times
Reputation: 25410
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr5150 View Post
The secret to small town living is doing things with people and enjoying outdoor stuff. If shopping and theater is what does it for you, it not gonna work. But at least you gave it a shot and that is what matters!

You do NOT have to live in Chicago, New York or LA to enjoy theatre, shopping and the like. Most small to midsized towns, especially those with major universities have plenty of opportunities for the arts. Sure, you will not get to choose which of 35 Broadway/Off-Broadway plays to see in a smaller town, but you will get 2-3 opportunities a year.
 
Old 03-29-2015, 10:05 PM
 
Location: moved
13,575 posts, read 9,594,825 times
Reputation: 23322
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr5150 View Post
Yea, for some the rural life is not right. As for driving, give me light traffic on pretty roads. Much better than playing bumper cars going 65MPH on a four lane freeway. I do notice that our older friends who live in the city no longer drive much for any distance, because of the traffic. (One friend takes AMTRAC from San Jose to the station an hour away and we pick her up). Our small town/rural older friends think nothing of doing road trips.

The secret to small town living is doing things with people and enjoying outdoor stuff. If shopping and theater is what does it for you, it not gonna work. But at least you gave it a shot and that is what matters!
This strongly depends on the level of affluence in the small town in question. University towns, exurban bedroom communities, touristy places and the like, might all have thriving economies. They'll have good roads, strong community connections, a well-stocked public library, quaint restaurants, perhaps an alternative-theater, an arts-scene and so forth. Rusting ex-industrial towns dotting the Midwest and the Appalachians won't have such advantages. They won't have the hospital-access either.

Truly rural living is a different matter altogether. The nearest gas station might be 10 miles (or more) away. Intellectually-driven people might find plenty of personal entertainment even in a literal desert - say by building and indulging in a personal library, by writing, by pursuing a crafts-type of hobby. And that's all great. But the logistical challenges are severe, and become even more severe as we age.

I live in a rural location about 8 miles from the local town. Said town has about 20K people, and is desperately poor. The local "big city" has about 140K people, and is some 30 miles away. It might as well be a thousand miles away! My neighbors are mostly elderly, some in delicately frail health. Driving is the least of their problems. They manage, evidently, owing to strong family networks.
 
Old 04-01-2015, 06:16 PM
 
Location: sumter
12,941 posts, read 9,556,806 times
Reputation: 10407
Quote:
Originally Posted by jlawrence01 View Post
You are more likely to find an older person 55-70 who would be willing to drive you around to a doctor appointment or a grocery store.

My father subsidized his grandchildrens' college education for years but they cannot find the time to give him a ride when he needs it.

That's usually the way it is in many cases, best wishes to your father.
 
Old 04-01-2015, 06:18 PM
 
Location: Puerto Plata Dominican Republic
12 posts, read 10,893 times
Reputation: 26
I live in the Dominican Republic where taxis are cheap.
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