When talking with an older road user about their transportation needs it is helpful to layout their typical day, week, or month of activities. The Plan for the Road Ahead transportation planning tool can help with this process. This tool allows you to identify such activities as trips to the grocery store, hair salon/barber shop, shopping, movies/entertainment, exercise/gym, and social events. Once this list is prepared, you can talk with the individual about options for maintaining their schedule that might not include driving. This could include car-pooling with family or friends when going to movies, entertainment, or social events, using public transportation or transportation services to go to grocery stores, the hair salon/barber shop, or other activities. For some errands, such as filling prescriptions and grocery shopping, you may want to consider online and delivery services in your area.
Some transportation services may be sponsored by local organizations, the community in which the individual lives, or volunteer organizations. You can learn about services in your community through the Eldercare Locator. Other options might be fee for service such as Uber/Lyft or taxi services.
After identifying transportation needs, the ChORUS Transportation Budgeting Tool helps you calculate current transportation costs and future costs for planning purposes. Current costs might include car payments, insurance, gas, and maintenance. This will help to demonstrate whether there are additional costs – or even savings – that can be realized as the older road user evolves to less driving. This plan will also identify opportunities for the individual to begin learn how to use services they haven’t used before such as Uber/Lyft, public transportation, grocery delivery, or other services.