Older Adults Get Around Town With Care Cars Driving Service

What do you do when you aren’t feeling well? The remedy is usually simple: jump in the car and go see a doctor. However, that solution is not so simple for many elderly Spokane residents.

Many older adults, due to age or health circumstances, are unable to drive or use public transportation.

Their needs are being answered by area volunteers. Care Cars for Elders is a 13-year-old program sponsored by Spokane Mental Health that provides both transportation and one-on-one escort service to essential services in Spokane County.

To be considered for the program, individuals must be 60 or older, their friends and relatives must be unavailable to help, and they must be unable to use any other form of transportation. Potential clients also must be going to an essential appointment (medical or dental) and be in need of an escort.

This free service is available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. however, Care Cars also collaborates with other transportation providers to respond to emergencies.

When the program began, it served about 30 to 40 people a year. Now, the average is 250 people a year. Drivers racked up more than 25,000 miles in 1996, said Sandra Bogdanski, a volunteer specialist at Care Cars for Elders.

The fact that volunteers escort clients to their appointments gives seniors a sense of security, comfort and companionship, said Bogdanski. Some volunteers have formed relationships with clients, escorting and driving them regularly.

Care Cars volunteers range in age from 19 to 85. They use their own cars and are reimbursed for mileage. Most are retired, but some work full time and volunteer on their lunch hours. Still others work on-call, squeezing service into their schedules should the need arise. “Our drivers are more than willing to go the extra mile - no pun intended,” Bogdanski said.

Before starting, volunteers attend training on several topics, including CPR, depression, suicide in elders, and listening skills.

A natural helpers retreat will also be held this summer for volunteers, allowing them to maximize their skills and meet others who are involved in the program.

The volunteers are the foundation of this program, said Terri Ann Fredette, community relations coordinator at Spokane Mental Health. Volunteering for this program provides “a way to gain personal growth and development while making the community hospitable for the elderly,” she said.

For information, assistance or to volunteer, call Spokane Mental Health’s Elder Services at 458-7450.

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MEMO: Created in support of the Spokane County Health Improvement Partnership (HIP), Discoveries highlights people working to improve community health and well-being. If you have a discovery that deserves recognition, call 742-3660. Or visit their website at www.hipspokane.org.