面向老年人的 5 种其他交通方式

1. Senior community living transportation services

CDC data shows that nearly 2.2 million people in the US live in community senior centers, including independent living communities and acute care facilities.

Another study found that only 4.5% of people living in residential care facilities were current drivers (regardless of whether they were healthy enough to drive). If you crunch the numbers, that’s still possibly over 2 million older adults in community centers who need organized and efficient transportation.

Thankfully, most of these senior living communities already have effective transportation services in place. Some centers provide scheduled shuttle services to essential locations like grocery stores, medical facilities, and social gatherings. Other places rely on local organizations to help with transportation. And, in some instances, these senior living communities offer private rides to and from various functions.

2.公共交通或辅助公共交通服务

健康状况良好、不亲自开车的老年人通常依靠公共交通工具出行。大多数城市为老年人提供实惠的公共交通服务，他们可以免费或以优惠价乘车。

对许多老年人来说，乘坐公共交通工具是一个不错的选择，但他们也可能遇到诸多不便。例如，他们可能难以找到公交车站，需要步行一段距离才能抵达车站，以及需要长时间等待或在极端温度下等待公共交通工具进站。此外，公共交通工具按照严格的时间表和特定路线运营，因此无法在特定时间提供定点载服务。

在某些地区，行动不便且无法独立使用常规公共交通工具的人士可以获取辅助公共交通服务。提供辅助公共交通服务的车辆配备无障碍设施，由训练有素的司机驾驶并提供协助，其中大多数车辆可接载与服务型动物同行的乘客。辅助公共交通服务的另一个好处是服务时间灵活，可定点接载。

3. Non-emergency medical transportation

When an older adult who doesn’t drive has a non-emergency medical appointment—like a healthcare consultation, a treatment, or another medical appointment—they can look for rides from non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) services. Like paratransit vehicles, NEMT services also offer door-to-door rides, advanced scheduling, and wheelchair-accessible options.

If you’re not sure where to start with choosing a service, your provider may provide rides through Uber Health or you can use Uber Call-to-Ride. With Uber Health, healthcare facilities can provide patients with door-to-door transportation for routine medical visits, dialysis appointments, physical therapy sessions, and other non-emergency healthcare needs.

When you remove the logistics of travel from the equation for older adults who need assistance with transportation, you help increase the chances that they’ll make it to their appointments without issues.

4.志愿者合作车主计划

并非每个城市都有出色的公共交通网，美国农村地区尤其如此。但这些地区有其独特的优势：社区。

在公共交通或辅助公共交通服务可能欠缺的地区，社区可以发挥重要作用。组织志愿者合作车主计划，即招募社区成员为老年人提供交通上的帮助，是一种不错的方式。

德克萨斯州奥斯汀的 Drive a Senior Northwest 计划，正是志愿者组织发挥作用的绝佳示例。居住在奥斯汀地区且持有执照的志愿者可以注册加入这一计划，开车接送老年人去看医生、进行日常购物，以及帮助他们出门办事。需要接载服务的居民可以致电该组织办公室，成为该计划的受益乘客。

这种志愿服务不仅可以为老年人提供接载服务，还能帮助他们参与社交活动，减少孤独感，从而建立有意义的人际关系。

5.辅助型的交通设施

一谈到交通工具，我们通常首先想到的是汽车、公交车或火车。其实，还存在其他好几种出行方式：相比开车或搭乘公共交通，另外一些方式更加方便、经济。

身体健康的老年人可以使用个人电动交通工具，例如电动滑板车、自行车或电动轮椅。在某些地区，这些交通设施甚至比汽车更加高效。