San Luis Obispo - Caltrans - State of California

SAN LUIS OBISPO REGION
COORDINATED HUMAN SERVICES-PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION PLAN
Senior Transportation Consumer Focus Group Discussion
San Luis Obispo City-County Library, April 13, 2007
Carol Schmidt, Senior Peer Counseling
Kathleen Bellefontaine, AAA Council - COA Senior Home Care
Alice Loh, CA Senior Assembly Woman - AAA Advisory Council
Heather Menninger-Mayeda, A-M-M-A
Issues/ Needs
• Need for low income seniors to have transportation – difficult where costs are too high
and basic fare is often too high.
• Need a transportation guru, an ambassador who can translate information for
consumers and for agency personnel.
• Health care initiative in Santa Barbara County is going to increase trips between the two
counties. Still possibly 2 to 3 years out.
• Geriatric mental health; need a full-time psychiatrist as the region lost the last one to
serve Medi Cal patients in San Luis Obispo has just retired. Now have to travel into
Santa Barbara County to get prescriptions refilled.
• Morro Bay to Templeton – seniors have trip needs; can’t drive any more.
• Handling of money/ fares on buses can be difficult for those with memory issues.
• Seniors don’t have knowledge of what is available or what exists; don’t want to know
what is available with regard to transportation as it represents a loss of independence.
• Cal Poly Faculty Association – retired faculty members are isolated, frail. Need
volunteers to drive them where they might need to go.
• Need door-to-door transportation as distance from front door to curb where vehicle is
waiting is too far for some of the frailest elderly.
• Assistance needs are varied – assistance from driver to and from the home/ destination.
Assistance in making the reservation and in being reminded about the trip. Assistance
in finding the way to the right transportation resource.
• Regarding information, telephone punch system is difficult for seniors who are hard of
hearing; difficult to navigate too many layers down to get to necessary information.
Need a person on the other end of the line.
• Concern about liability issues for volunteer drivers and small programs. Coverage a
concern.
• Door-through-door is a real need for the frailest individuals. Possibly can be met by
volunteer programs although these have their challenges.
• Believe that information dissemination should be centralized in Rideshare and SLOCOG.
Keep the focus there – moving to one number. Importance of a regional orientation.
Existing Transportation Resources
• Ride-On doesn’t offer some of the flexibility that some seniors need.
• Ride-On is not always using the right vehicle – sometimes needs a lift. Sometimes too
high to climb into (cut-away van).
• Ride-On options and alternative services are confusing to seniors. Don’t know which to
choose.
• Importance of same-day transport option for seniors. Don’t know if it is going to be a
good day – to travel. Or a bad day and need to get to doctor’s.
• Runabout certification process is a barrier to seniors for riding. Many don’t have
information as to what the process is. Need a trip “now” and don’t understand that they
must be certified ahead of time.
172
OCTOBER 2007