For Part II of the Cochrane Eagle’s Aging in Place series, we looked at the types of transportation available for seniors.
Seniors in Cochrane often lead a busy lifestyle – from taking a weekly class at the seniors centre, to running an errand such as picking up groceries, or making doctor appointments they need to be able to get around with ease.
Cochrane’s core is pedestrian-friendly for those who live in the area, but the town contains multiple subdivisions that are segregated by long stretches of highway. For example, there is no safe walking path or route for a resident of Heritage Hills to use if he/she wanted to go to the grocery store.
Someone living within one of the retirement homes in Cochrane would have access to the homes’ shuttle. People living on their own may be able to rely on friends, family, and neighbours for transportation, but there are times when that isn’t an option.
“Aging in place is when you stay home and take advantage of community services as long as possible, but transportation is sort of the not really discussed part of that. How do you get to those community services? That’s the gap we’ve been filling,” said Paul Siller, general manager of the Rocky View Regional Handi Bus Society.
“It seems that people can catch a ride with a neighbour or a friend to go across town, but going to appointments in Calgary are a bit daunting or challenging,” he added.
The society is just one service available for anyone unable to drive or without a vehicle, not just seniors. The society operates out of Airdrie and covers six municipalities across Rocky View District with 16 buses.
“When we pick up within Cochrane, about 30 per cent of the trips we make right now are within Cochrane,” said Siller.
According to the society’s 2015 report to stakeholders, Cochrane has the most registered passengers of all the municipalities it serves.
“Cochrane is a real hotbed for retirement. We have a rule of thumb of how many people you should expect in a community to be making use of our buses, and Cochrane almost doubles it.”
“We operate as a demand-response system, where we book 24 hours or more ahead. They have to give us some specifics of where they’re going, what time they have to be there by, what time will they be ready to be picked up, and where exactly is this place,” Siller explained.
Siller said the society then looks at all the requests and creates a schedule for each bus to accommodate the passengers. The rates for the service are $4 per 10 kilometres, based off the estimate at the time of booking.
The system is not without its flaws however. Passengers must share the ride with others and have to be flexible with when they are picked up and dropped off.
“We may need to drop someone off 45 minutes before their appointment. There can be a 45-minute window, it doesn’t happen very often,” Siller explained.
People looking to have a ride that caters more directly to their needs may also access one of Cochrane’s taxi companies – Taxi 4 U or Limelight Taxi. The Town of Cochrane also has a Community Access Resource Program, which is subsidized taxi transportation for the town and surrounding area.
The program has was funded by the United Way of Cochrane and Area in previous years, but last year the Town of Cochrane itself joined the partnership.
Seniors looking to access the program may go through the town’s Family and Community Support Services. They are then provided chits that can be used for rides within Cochrane with either of the local taxi companies or with the Rocky View Regional Handi Bus Society.
“They come in here and they get screened for eligibility – which is currently the low income cut off. But we also recognize that some financial situations aren’t always represented with that cut off so we do have those conversations. Individuals on Assured Income for Severely Handicapped typically qualify immediately,” said Melissa Engdahl, a community resource worker with the town’s Family and Community Support Services.
This service also has its limitations as those who qualify are only allotted chits worth $32 a month.
“It’s not a lot if one taxi ride is twelve dollars one way. So that’s what we’re working on,” Engdahl said.
While the service is limited, Engdahl said the service is imperative in helping those in need.
“It’s not the answer to everything but it certainly is something that helps.”
