Medical Mobility - Volunteer Driver Program

Vital Stats

Allison D

Boulder, CO

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The Problem

In Boulder County, the population of people sixty and over is increasing at a more rapid rate than any other age group. The number of seniors in the area is expected to double by 2020 and triple by the year 2030. Especially with the baby boomers getting into their 60’s and beyond, there is much more need in the future for services geared toward older adults. In a survey presented by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Aging and Adult Services division, researchers found that there is a substantial minority of older adults that are frail and struggling to get by. In the results, 8% reported that they had not visited the doctor in the past year, with 78% not having a hearing exam. This could be attributed to a number of reasons, but one of the leading factors was a lack of available transportation. About 9% of Boulder County seniors reported that finding transportation was an issue and the same number needed help arranging transportation, while 7% of the population had trouble finding transportation specifically to medical appointments.

Plan of Action

Within Boulder County, community members identified transportation as a major issue for older adults and people with disabilities. More transportation was needed to get those who could no longer drive themselves to imperative medical appointments, when no other modes were available. The first steps of the transportation program were implemented by an AmeriCorps member in 2007. My goal as the current program coordinator is to continue the program and to increase the outreach and visibility within our community. The infrastructure is secure but there is still a great need for volunteers in order to get the program to meet the needs of the community. There is much need for more volunteers to build the capacity of the program, as well as letting potential clients know more about the available resources. My plan is to increase advertising by way of newspaper ads and the addition of more television commercial time. By expanding the advertising into other realms that are not typically utilized by the non-profit sector, I hope to attract more attention to the transportation program and gain more clients and volunteers in this manner.
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Homelessness and Poverty

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