Hundreds of people are taking advantage of the program to obtain rides in their communities – to the point that Jennifer Hammond is issuing an appeal for more volunteer drivers.
“We’re really happy how the project has been implemented,” Hammond said in an interview on Aug. 29.
“Things are going extremely well,” she added of the Volunteer Transportation Programs that was implemented in the county this year.
Many of the people the program is helping need medical assists. She cited the example of someone suddenly learning about a health problem.
Imagine hearing a doctor explains about kidney’s failing and the treatment, dialysis, is three times a week until a transplant becomes available. Then imagine hearing the treatment is available in Kitchener. Next, imagine living in Fergus with no car to get to that lifesaving treatment.
That is not an imaginary scenario, she said.
It is a reality for hundreds of residents across Wellington County everyday. And that is but one of the reasons for the existence of Volunteer Transportation Programs across Wellington County.
Not only are they supporting needs for people without access to transportation for health services, they are also ensuring people are able to get to necessary appointments, programs that keep them physically and mentally strong, and to complete activities of daily living that contribute to a well rounded lifestyle.
Since the program began, Hammond said that coordinating all the groups of volunteer drivers and matching them with those that need help has caused an increase in the calls for help.
She said that since the group’s toll free 1-866-694-9562 number was published, the network is seeing an increase of 10 to 20 per cent in the requests for help every month.
To the end of June, the program has provided rides for 10,783 people and volunteers, who have their mileage paid, have driven over 711,000km to help people meet their needs.
“The numbers are quite staggering,” Hammond said. “Astronomical, really.”
She said 245 new clients have been added for transportation help since the services merged.
“That’s quite impressive, I think,” Hammond said.
One member organization of Wellington Transportation Services, the VON, has been supporting Wellington County residents for decades.
The volunteer drivers of the transportation program offer their assistance to get people to the care they need when they have no alternative transportation sources.
Without the support of the VON’s services the man who needs dialysis treatment would be left without options.
Because of his condition he has been unable to work and is not connected to social assistance, leaving him without an income.
“It costs $1,500 per month to provide the required service to get this client to and from his treatments each month,” said Michelle Martin, Transportation Coordinator with the VON.
“Where does he even begin to find the dollars to pay for this? Even a person with an income would find this prohibitive to seeking the necessary treatment,” Martin said.
There are fees associated with the VON’s program. An assessment is completed when clients first needs services to determine their capacity to pay.
“The program is low cost, even for those who are assessed a fee. But for those who can’t pay, they don’t. Cost should not be a barrier to accessing necessary services in our community,” Martin said. “The costs associated with providing service are directly related to reimbursing the volunteers for the mileage it costs to complete the rides the client needs.”
A critical component of providing the service and supporting the needs of a particular individual and many like him in the community are the volunteers who provide the transportation.
Currently, Wellington Transportation Services is in need of approximately 20 new volunteers to meet the requests for service they receive each and every day.
“Volunteers are the backbone of this program; without them no one would be getting anywhere, which is devastating to the individual and their families when they cannot access the services and programs they need to improve their lives,” Martin said.
Without the service and the volunteers who support it, patients would not be able to remain in their home communities. The dialysis patient would have to move to Kitchener into a long term care facility.
That would take him away from family and friends, away from all he has known, simply because transportation is not available.
That will not be required in his case.
“We have been supporting this individual for over a year and will continue to do so until he is no longer well enough to live independently,” said Martin. “Right now, he has family to help him a on a daily basis and with our transportation service we can assist him in maintaining that independence as long as possible.” That is just one of hundreds of examples of the transportation needs community organizations manage daily.
Wellington Transportation Services has been established to coordinate such services across rural Wellington, ensuring community members can access necessary transportation supports.
By calling 1-866-694-9562 individuals can have their needs assessed, determine their eligibility and then will be referred to the most appropriate provider to match their needs. Fees may be associated with the service, dependent on the client’s circumstances and the nature of the request.
Hammond said that the desire for transportation by citizens might not yet require a full fledged transit service, but, “I definitely think we’re getting there,” she said.
She said in a mix of small rural centres, a bus service might not be the best way to operate for such things as medical appointments.
But, she said, there are other needs. Seniors who no longer drive might need transportation to do their daily shopping or visit a drug store.
Hammond said people are living longer, and staying in their homes longer, and being able to travel from one place to another a few days a week can aid that.
She said buses running to a city from rural areas might not be needed, but said transportation between such places as Elora to Fergus, Harriston to Palmerston, and Arthur to Mount Forest might be practical.
She noted all three of those destinations also have hospitals, and since the provincial government is making them more important in their communities, those might be the focus of more travel.
“We’re not there yet, but it’s something municipalities should be keeping in touch with.”
She also added that a transportation network could also serve youths who want to travel from one community to another.
Until then, though, volunteers are needed to continue to support the growing demand within the community for transportation support.
If anyone is interested in joining the volunteer team of drivers contact Hammond at 1-866-840-3249 for further information. Volunteer commitments are flexible and mileage is reimbursed.
More information is available at www.communityresourcecentre.org.
