| | Published March 21st, 2018
| Mobility Matters helps seniors overcome transportation hurdles
| | | By Jon Kingdon | | |
It's easy to take for granted the ability to drive, to go shopping and make the required visits for one's doctors and dental appointments. For many seniors, the ability to travel by car or public transportation has been lost, cutting them off from the general public and forcing many to move prematurely to long-term care facilities.
For a long time, seniors have lacked alternatives to driving themselves and taking public transportation. Lafayette resident, Elaine Welch, the CEO of Mobility Matters, saw a problem and made it her mission to address it. In 2005, Welch, who also has an MBA degree from Saint Mary's College, launched a program called Rides for Seniors to address senior mobility needs. "After retiring as a registered nurse and working as a volunteer ombudsman, I was very upset at what I saw in the nursing homes," Welch says. "I wanted to do something about it."
Doing something meant addressing the problem head on. Welch rode the buses and cabs to learn what was and wasn't available for seniors and how difficult it was for them to utilize public transportation. "These seniors needed someone to drive them to their medical appointments and not to just be dropped off. They need to be escorted into the doctor's offices and to have someone to help them with their shopping and finally to make sure that they are settled back in their homes, not just dropping them off at the curb. Our services are 'door through door.'"
Located on Carol Lane in Lafayette, the Mobility Matters building, which is next to and belongs to Our Savior's Lutheran Church, was originally used as a crisis helpline service that began in the 1970s. "The church helps us as one of their missions and rents us the building at a very reasonable rate, but we are a private 501(c) (3) non-profit organization," says Welch.
Though located in Lafayette, the services provided by Mobility Matters extend throughout Contra Costa County, servicing over 250 clients and utilizing 130 volunteer drivers. In the Lamorinda area, there are 45 individuals that utilize the service and 27 drivers to meet their needs.
Sam Sotelo, director of programs for Mobility Matters, says his goal is simple: "We are just trying to make the world better for everybody." In 2017, Mobility Matters provided 3,179 rides in Contra Costa County.
The program is individualized, with only the volunteer driver and the client in the car to insure the safety of both. With some clients with vision and balance problems, it is essential that the volunteer's focus be entirely on the client.
Sotelo says there is a constant effort to raise funds for the program. "One of the main grants is through Caltrans and some smaller grants from the county and private foundations. There are also donations from individuals as well and Mobility Matters holds an annual raffle to help fundraise."
Drivers may not be younger than 25, or older than 75, due to insurance requirements. Using their own vehicles, the drivers can request reimbursement for their gas expenses and must go through a training program Welch runs, utilizing her nursing background. "We do a three-hour driver's training class. We explain how the clients call in for help and how we make the assignments for them and what types of visits they are making," Welch says. "We stress how to work with the clients who are more vulnerable physically. We familiarize them with their special equipment, such as walkers, and what to do should the client slip and fall. Unlike Uber, Lyft and cabs, we assist riders from start to finish."
Though Mobility Matters would like to help all those in need, they simply do not have enough volunteers and financial resources to do so. The seniors cannot be under 60 years of age, and Mobility Matters cannot accommodate those who require wheelchairs as they require special vehicles to be transported.
If the company is unable to directly provide rides to an individual, they will do what they can to address and facilitate needs. "We have a toll-free transportation, information and referral helpline where we attempt to match riders with providers that can meet their needs," Sotelo says. "We have a 'Way to Go Contra Costa' resource guide in hard copy and online which will inform them of the services that fill their needs."
Mobility Matters recently expanded the services to include veterans in the county with similar needs. Unlike seniors, there is no age minimum for a veteran in need. "With so many veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorders and physical disabilities, many of them are falling into the patterns of the seniors as they grow older," Welch says. "These individuals need the type of help that we are providing our seniors. Ideally we would like to have a veteran serve as the volunteer driver as they can share similar stories and situations."
The need for volunteers is constant, according to Sotelo. "Many of the drivers develop great friendships with their clients. We would like to double the number of drivers we have currently. If we could do that, we could then provide 'quality of life' rides such as attending meetings, getting haircuts and other needs."
Pamphlets for Mobility Matters are available in senior centers, resource buildings and libraries across the county. Being forced to give up a driver's license can be a shock to the system. Welch wants to be able to provide help to those people immediately. "I want every Department of Motor Vehicles office to have a station that has a sign that says 'mobility equals independence; you don't have to drive to keep your independence,' and to offer the information from the American's With Disabilities Act and to let everyone know what is available for them once they can no longer drive."
For those looking for help, or those looking to volunteer, call (925) 284-6161.
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA