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Many of my “olderly” (a word I made up when I tried to say elderly and older at the same time) clients no longer drive.  They have either chosen to hang up the keys themselves or had a physician or family member make that choice for them.  Regardless of how they got there, they still need transportation to and from various appointments, social gatherings, shopping, and the like.

While I can’t solve all the transportation challenges in this article, I may be able to help with transportation needed to and from medical appointments for those with Medicare coverage.

Many Medicare Advantage plans have begun covering transportation to approved medically related appointment and pharmacies.  This ancillary benefit is often capped at a certain number of one-way trips to or from said medically related appointments and/or pharmacies (e.g., 24 one-way trips to or from).  If this is a benefit you would like to have as a part of your Medicare coverage, ask your agent to find a policy that includes transportation for the 2023 coverage year.  Keep in mind, transportation covered by Medicare is not available when you want a ride to the local Senior Center, theater or your bridge club that meets every Tuesday at the library.  For this kind of transportation, you will need to rely on public transportation, ride hailing services like Uber or Lyft (you don’t need the app to use Lyft; you may call 631-201-5938 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET), a friend or family member, or your favorite taxi service.  Other organizations in the San Diego area that may be able to assist with arranging/providing transportation are the San Diego county Aging and Independent Service’s Facilitating Access to Coordinated Transportation (FACT) program, ElderHelp’s Seniors A Go Go program, Jewish Family Services’ On The Go program (you don’t have to be Jewish to use their services), and the GoGoGrandparent ride scheduling and coordination program.

Each service has its own processes and timeframes in which you must schedule your ride.  Some can accommodate a ride in as little as 15 minutes while other services require the ride be scheduled days in advance.

Take advantage of these services to get out of the house, go see the sights, visit some friends, or take in some musical performances at the new Rady’s Shell at Jacobs Park.  A change of scenery might be just what’s in order.

Kie Copenhaver is a Certified Senior Advisor™ (CSA™), Gerontologist, and co-founder of Aging Well Partners. Kie has worked over 25 years in the healthcare and aging industries, advocating for patient’s rights and the ability to choose what’s best for them.  She has taught at Mesa Community College in the Health Information Technology department and currently gives talks at Oasis Lifelong Learning geared towards planning ahead and aging well.  When Kie isn’t working, you can find her doing yardwork and digging in her flower beds.  Find Kie at www.agingwellpartners.com