This can be a difficult time for a senior citizen who is used to personal transportation freedom. It can also be difficult for family members or friends who take on the added responsibility of ensuring that the person continues to have access to transportation when needed.
Generally, older adults feel quite a sense of loss when they’re no longer able to drive, and it will be important to have a plan in place to permit them to keep as much independence as possible.
You may no longer be able to drive yourself even though you still need mobility in order to continue living the life that you choose to live. But no worries because Loyal Lifts, which helps with senior transportation in Asheville, NC, is here to assist you in maintaining a level of independence - even though you can no longer drive yourself.
Maintaining Independence When No Longer Driving
Maintaining an independent lifestyle is very important to older people, especially as they are no longer able to do many of the activities that they have always done.
Even though you may not be able to drive yourself, you can be proactive in looking for ways to continue to be independent as much as possible. There may be readily available transportation options available in your area that will meet your need for independence when you are no longer able to drive yourself.
The natural effects of aging can sometimes make independent living harder than it once was. Difficulties with mobility, behavioral health conditions such as isolation and loneliness, and financial strains are just some of the contributors to a loss of independence in aging adults.
The following benefits are common results of senior independence, and demonstrate how important it is to empower older adults to live independent lives.
- Feel Like an Individual: The ability to make choices throughout the day has a big impact on how senior citizens feel about themselves. When they are no longer managing the decisions in their life, they might feel like less of an individual.
- Sense of Purpose: Loss of independence can be isolating. Seniors who are isolated often develop feelings of hopelessness and depression, and the negative effects on their mental health can lower their quality of life.
- Sense of Control: Sometimes, independence may be the only thing seniors feel that they control. The ability to live independently empowers seniors and reinforces that, though some factors, such as health or financial stability, may prevent them from carrying out some activities they once did, they still have a hold on many aspects of their life.
- Development of Positive Relationships: Continued independence, especially in terms of mobility, can ensure that people continue to have positive relationships in their lives.
Transportation Options Available to Maintain Independence When No Longer Driving
Maintaining an independent lifestyle is very important to older people, especially as they are no longer able to do many of the activities that they have always done.
Even though you may not be able to drive yourself, you can be proactive in looking for ways to continue to be independent as much as possible. There may be readily available transportation options available in your area that will meet your need for independence when you are no longer able to drive yourself.
- A personal transportation support network that includes friends, family, co-workers, and others who are willing to provide you with a ride to the doctor, grocery store, or other destinations.
- Public transit (operates on a regular schedule and offers specific routes)
- Specialized transportation or paratransit (a service for older adults and people with disabilities who are unable to use public transit)
- Volunteer transportation (one-on-one rides in a volunteer’s vehicle that can be reserved on demand)
- Transportation with assistance (riders receive additional support at pick-up and destination) such as Loyal Lifts. (Read a little more about how we work at our blog, How Loyal Lifts Helps Seniors and the Wheelchair-Bound Retain Mobility.)
- Private-pay transportation (services such as taxis, Uber, and Lyft are available on demand)
Utilize Loyal Lifts to Maintain Your Independence When No Longer Driving
Age and mobility issues shouldn’t keep you from getting out and doing what you love. If you need transportation assistance, look for services in your area that provide accessible rides.
Loyal Lifts Transportation Services offers insured door-to-door shuttle service in custom vehicles for Asheville and surrounding Buncombe County, North Carolina. Family-owned and operated, we understand the need for mobility-challenged individuals to travel and believe they should do so in comfort with dignity and respect.
Whether it is a routine visit to the doctor's office or a special event, let us get you there safely and on time. For more information on our services, to check our availability, or set up a ride, check our online contact information or call us Monday to Friday at (828) 674-6471.
Transportation Opportunities Available From Loyal Lifts to Increase Your Independence
Let us transport you in style to any event or appointment, including:
- Airport Pickup
- Hotel Shuttle
- Special Event Transportation (Weddings, Funerals, Holiday Gatherings, Family Reunions)
- Non-Emergency Doctor Visits
- Going out to a restaurant with friends
- Grocery shopping
- Shopping and Sightseeing
- Visiting friends and family
- Taking a trip to the park
We are family-owned and know the area well. We provide consistent drivers who can help you - we can even provide a wheelchair (upon request, as we do not carry the wheelchair on every ride).
We also can meet your personal transportation needs. We can take you to meet friends and family for dining, visit tourist attractions and sites with your guests, and do grocery and personal shopping as well.
Loyal Lifts Transportation can provide safe and efficient transportation services. Go to our website at www.loyallifts.com or call us at 828-674-6471 for more information.