Medical Transportation for Seniors

As the body slows down, concerns about medical transportation can increase. Giving up your car keys can mean drastically reduced mobility and even getting to the local doctor's office may be challenging. According to the Seniors Assisted Transportation Society for Greater Edmonton, in Canada, "By the age of 80 years old, 72 percent of seniors are living without a family member nearby and find public transportation very challenging." Seniors needing medical transportation usually, however, have some helpful options.

Independent Transportation

• Some cars are more senior-friendly than others.

  Some car designs better lend themselves to seniors' medical transportation. FutureYears, a senior resources website, suggests considering issues such as roominess and whether the vehicle can transport items such as a scooter or wheelchair. Vehicles specially equipped for people with handicaps present another option for those still able to drive an automobile.

  Scooters give seniors the option of driving themselves. Rechargeable battery-operated scooters give drivers independence and mobility when it comes to medical transportation. Easy to maneuver, they offer an option for those who can no longer manage a car.

Transportation Services

• Vehicles that can transport wheelchairs help with mobility.

  Medical transportation options for seniors include government-funded programs, nonprofit organizations as well as for-profit businesses. They range from public buses to one-to-three-passenger vehicles. The vehicles have wide doors and/or are equipped with special lifts or ramps for wheelchairs and scooters. Individualized transportation companies provide door-to-door service for seniors that can be booked in advance.

Emergency Transportation

• An ambulance is usually the fastest way to the hospital.

  For emergencies, ambulances are the standard medical transportation for seniors. Ambulances are staffed with a specially trained driver, paramedics and carries emergency medical equipment. Seniors without a support network of family or friends may also need to rely on ambulances for slightly less urgent trips to a hospital.

  Specially equipped helicopters transport patients in an emergency evacuation where a road ambulance isn't practical. If, for example, a senior has a heart attack while on a cruise ship, the only viable medication evacuation is by helicopter. The patient is loaded onto a stretcher with side supports, winced up into the helicopter and flown to the nearest emergency facility.

Other Considerations

• Friends may be willing to act as chauffeurs.

  Some seniors can rely on family members to transport them, but people without family nearby may have friends who are willing to chauffeur them to medical appointments. Others may take a taxi to see the local doctor.

Costs

• Emergency transportation can be costly without insurance coverage.

  Costs for senior medical transportation ranges from no-cost options like government programs, such as Medicare, or low rates through nonprofit agencies. Insurance coverage varies. The price of scooters or senior-friendly cars depends on the model and accessories.