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If needed my church handles this problem for the elderly if we need to turn to them. We are 83 and 85 years old. We have a housekeeper that comes in 3 days a week for 3 hours at a time to keep the house up. It is a 3700 sq. ft. 4 level contemporary home on 5 acres. Her 16 year old son, takes care of the exterior. She also is available if we need her for an emergency any time. She will come in and drive us anywhere we need to go. She is very reasonable at $40 for 3 hours, or $15 an hour to drive us around, etc., on non work days. We are fortunate, in that we can afford her.
Now the goal is to downsize and move to an area that has good public transportation. If the subways are not disabled-friendly, at least the buses are plus taxis are available.
I've watched my aunt, who just turned 90, and I learned a lot. When she and my uncle retired, they downsized to a condo in an area where public transportation options were poor. Besides, my aunt never bothered with using buses or the subway. They did fine for quite a while. My uncle died 18 years ago. My aunt was 72 and still able to drive. Eventually, she developed macular degeneration and through treatment, she was able to stop it from progressing to the point where she would go blind. At one point, she moved in with her daughter, thinking that her vision would go entirely. When she realized it wouldn't happen, she moved back into the same condo complex. I remembered thinking that she could have bought a new place by a subway station in a good area.
When she reached the point where she could no longer drive, she had a neighbor who would take her grocery shopping. Of course, she was at the mercy of the neighbor and had to shop when the neighbor did so. She friended a cab driver who gave her his personal phone number so she could call him to take her to doctor's appts.
Often times she would lament to me at how her world was shrinking and she wished that she could still drive.
Recently, she had to go into assisted living due to having problems with short term memory.
I have another aunt who is a retired gerontological social worker. Once I told her that I wanted to live where there is good public transportation and she just about applauded me
My grandparents just have my youngest aunt drive them everywhere and run all their errands. Her entire life seems to revolve around them. Now I realize why my sisters and brother all moved at least 2000 miles away from my parents. I hope to correct my mistake of moving back to my home town soon, before I get stuck as the elder chauffeur and errand boy.
My grandparents just have my youngest aunt drive them everywhere and run all their errands. Her entire life seems to revolve around them. Now I realize why my sisters and brother all moved at least 2000 miles away from my parents. I hope to correct my mistake of moving back to my home town soon, before I get stuck as the elder chauffeur and errand boy.
I had no problems taking my parents, or any other elderly person in my family places if I had the time. I work full time and I manage to do many things I wanted to do in life. At the same time I made time for my parents who are both gone now. Between me and my siblings and other family members, we got it done so one person wouldn't be burden down with it all the time. I had great parents who I love and miss so much, and I would give anything to have them back driving them where they need to go. I would never knowingly let one family member be burden with that task without giving them a break from time to time. One day we are all going to be in that same situation.
I am fine driving, walking kills me. I don't have a crystal ball to tell me what comes next.
You don't need a crystal ball to know that if you live long enough you will eventually NOT be safe on the highway. Statistically that happens by age 80, if not sooner. Ask the insurance companies.
The time to think about this is when you still CAN drive and CAN make sensible, stable plans for the future. And transportation options should be a major part of the decision anyone makes about where they will spend their old age.
Americans engage in so much magical thinking! So many people imagine they will be safe drivers when they're 90. How many people here have cleverly claimed that by the time they need them there will be driverless cars? What if you have a stroke next week? Where do you plan to get your driverless car?
Think, people! We all need to make careful plans for our old age, or don't complain when other people make them for you.
One of the reasons I've shunned the idea of living in one of these Del Webb 55+ senior communities, is they're too car centric for me. More than likely, these communities have some sort of in-house transportation services for the those who can't drive anymore, but I'm too much of a convenience junkie to live in them.
Even right now, I'm a long block to a bus stop, 4 blocks to 2 major grocery stores, 2 blocks to a 7/11, and if I want a nightcap at night, without driving and risking a DUI, there's a bar right up the street, and 2 more 2 blocks from there!
In what 55+ Del Webb senior community can you have those kinds of conveniences?
I am waiting for the day when I don't have to drive anymore. In a few months I shall be 60 and get the senior price for the bus here and it will be much cheaper to ride it than drive. I moved to a place 2 years ago that has most all my shopping needs within easy walking distance, a bus stop across the street and my gym 2 blocks away. The downside here is we have no week-end or holiday service yet but I will plan ahead or get a taxi for times I need to be out on those days. Our bus service does have a couple options for door to door service for Seniors or disabled that I can use if needed some day. I also have a bicycle but will mostly use that on side roads and parks, I don't want to ride on our major streets.
The only time I could see this maybe being unpleasant is if I were to be ill and needed to see a doctor. It's bad enough to to not feel good and have to drive yourself to the doctors' I can only imagine the bus being worse with the other riders and all the stops. That is when I would probably use a taxi. It would cost a lot more but it would be faster and quieter! Fortunately I rarely go to the doctor now and when I do it's not for an illness or injury( eye exam, teeth, etc) except every 4 or 5 years. I'm hoping that streak continues for another 20 years or so.
I am waiting for the day when I don't have to drive anymore. In a few months I shall be 60 and get the senior price for the bus here and it will be much cheaper to ride it than drive. I moved to a place 2 years ago that has most all my shopping needs within easy walking distance, a bus stop across the street and my gym 2 blocks away. The downside here is we have no week-end or holiday service yet but I will plan ahead or get a taxi for times I need to be out on those days. Our bus service does have a couple options for door to door service for Seniors or disabled that I can use if needed some day. I also have a bicycle but will mostly use that on side roads and parks, I don't want to ride on our major streets.
The only time I could see this maybe being unpleasant is if I were to be ill and needed to see a doctor. It's bad enough to to not feel good and have to drive yourself to the doctors' I can only imagine the bus being worse with the other riders and all the stops. That is when I would probably use a taxi. It would cost a lot more but it would be faster and quieter! Fortunately I rarely go to the doctor now and when I do it's not for an illness or injury( eye exam, teeth, etc) except every 4 or 5 years. I'm hoping that streak continues for another 20 years or so.
That's what I call good planning!
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Ride The Bus?!
