Article: Transportation to Medical Appointments Can Be Tricky for Solo Agers

officerripley

officerripley

Well-known Member
Location
Porlock, Calif
From the article: "There are local organizations that offer rides, but research and planning may be required...If you're having issues finding transportation to and from medical procedures, Gerhardt says not to look to your doctor's office for help. 'I know of some doctor's offices that had granted to hire professional social workers as discharge planners, but most of those grants dried up. So many people in medical offices or hospitals don't know what resources exist.'"

"...Can be tricky," "...research and planning may be required..."?: LOL. To read the rest of the article: https://www.nextavenue.org/transpor...166652184&mc_cid=7b9adeb4b6&mc_eid=7db4a22a9a
 

The problem I ran into was that everyone I asked said, "Uber", but that is not a method the hospital allows. They want a "responsible" person to be the driver - someone that can wait there and also drive me home as opposed to a medi-van, taxi or Uber that lets you off and doesn't wait.

I live alone and my closest relatives are some cousins that are either busy working, aren't speaking to me, or live too far away. I did manage to get help through the church I attend, but I get the feeling that I am wearing out my welcome there very quickly. The people that helped me don't come right out and say it directly, but their attitudes and expressions don't leave much to the imagination. I offer to pay for their time, gasoline, and to buy a meal for them, but so far, no one so far has accepted these. I believe the problem stems from the unexpected involvement it requires. Perhaps people just think it will be once or twice - they don't realize how many follow-up appointments the doctor requires and how far away her office is (60 mile round trip).
 

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I live in a rural part of PA. The idea that "local" organizations offering rides" is a myth. For me, the nearest driver was over a hundred mile away in New Jersey. Before I was able to drive, it cost me $80, one way, to go buy cab to the doctors. To get groceries, round trip was $100. And supposedly, there are bored housewives rearing to make an extra buck as a car service-yeah, right, and what do you want Santa to bring you? From experience, I found that a lot of orgs,. have 'programs' to help those who need rides. But that's the problem, they have 'programs', they don't have cars, nor drivers. I don't like to admit this, but now, that I can drive, I won't volunteer, you'll be spending the rest of your life waiting outside some doctor's office.
 
I am dealing with this now and dealt with it twice in August. I'm scheduled for a heart cath on Monday afternoon, and was told that they didn't allow Uber to do that. My response was simple - I have no choice but to use Uber or the cancel the surgery. Then they said, well, your doctor has to give us the necessary form that blah blah blah. It's called CYA medicine.

And if you live alone, which I don't, then they want to keep you overnight and/or schedule a home nurse to be with you.
 
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Thanks for posting this. And yes we all know what deb has gone through and it's terrible. I experienced it myself with the cataract surgery. It's not right. I was fine and dandy after the medication and all I needed was a drive to and from the procedure. And CYA is what it's all about. Not the patient! We should be able to sign a form: 'yeah bleep you, I won't sue, let me go home by taxi or car. Get my procedure done. Bye'
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I live in a rural part of PA. The idea that "local" organizations offering rides" is a myth. For me, the nearest driver was over a hundred mile away in New Jersey. Before I was able to drive, it cost me $80, one way, to go buy cab to the doctors. To get groceries, round trip was $100. And supposedly, there are bored housewives rearing to make an extra buck as a car service-yeah, right, and what do you want Santa to bring you? From experience, I found that a lot of orgs,. have 'programs' to help those who need rides. But that's the problem, they have 'programs', they don't have cars, nor drivers. I don't like to admit this, but now, that I can drive, I won't volunteer, you'll be spending the rest of your life waiting outside some doctor's office.
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Thanks for sharing your experience. So many seniors perpetuate the myth about help that is available without ever having experienced the help themselves. They are just blowing hot air about the programs they've read about. You summed it up very well when you said many organizations have "programs" but not people to help you. These mythical "programs" just look good on paper and provide offices and salaries for social workers but not the kind of help the elderly need.
 
I took a ride in an ambulance for the 1st time in my life almost 4 years ago now (I keep thinking it was 3 years - derr) and they kept me a week.

I had to get home but it was Spring 2020 and with lockdowns and fear rampant, options were more limited than ever. Luckily I called and got hold of my ex (been 28 years now) and she was able to come and get me.

I need to work on options because if it happens again she might not be there and my closest son is 45 minutes away if he's even at home. She and her husband might move, and she'd already had one heart attack herself. None of us "is forever."
 
that's just it, not everyone has someone to cart their asses around when they need help. and if the medical community isn't able to help then what alternative do we have? i'd rather take the overnight stay than fight with them about it. uber is all i got. safer than trying to walk home after a procedure. no? especially when they discharge you at all hrs now.

i never been to a hospital that discharged inpatients in the middle of the frickin night at like 11 or 12. with no friends or loved ones i would have no choice but to walk or take a cab. uber isn't even running at that hr.

so i feel for ya deb!
 
Transportation for anything is almost non-existent for us rural seniors, they had a van service for medical appointments I tried to use it, it was so frustrating I felt like throwing the phone against the wall before I gave up.

Oats is a joke they'll take us to walmart give us an hour then hustle us back home senior transport sucks.
 
TheOtherRick said:
Transportation for anything is almost non-existent for us rural seniors, they had a van service for medical appointments I tried to use it, it was so frustrating I felt like throwing the phone against the wall before I gave up.

Oats is a joke they'll take us to walmart give us an hour then hustle us back home senior transport sucks.
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This is one of the reasons that whenever I get the chance, I warn young people--which I only do online (since I rarely go anywhere) and being a feminist/environmentalist/atheist am on sites with a lot of young people--to not strand themselves in a rural area, that no matter how lovely that rural area may be, it won't be suitable when they get old.

Also, I warn them not to wait too long to relocate back to civilization since if they wait 'till they retire and try to move back, they won't be able to afford it. (Selling a nice house for top dollar in a rural area usually won't give you enough for a 1 bedroom condo in a nice-enough city. And by nice enough, I don't mean just fancy with its entertainment, beaches, etc.; I mean good access to medical and senior help.)

I also warn them to think twice about partnering up with an alpha type; that's what happened to me and he's dead set against moving.
 
officerripley said:
no matter how lovely that rural area may be, it won't be suitable when they get old.
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I completely agree. I ran into the out -pat. surgery thing when I had my cataracts out. A rural area is great if you're young, got two good legs, and healthy. Add a driver's license and have a car. Otherwise, you're on your own when you retire on disability.
 

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