In another thread about having 1 or 2 cars, I posted this...
Since it didn't receive any replies, I decided to make it a separate thread because:
It touches a fact of life that happens to more of us than we think.
Not having a car, or being unable to drive. Not at all unusual... sometimes because of not having a license, but most commonly because of health or age.
Physical impairments
Not passing the vision test
Temporarily injured
Permanently crippled
Financially unable
License suspended or permanently cancelled
Unable to drive for any reason.
We see this every day, living in a CCRC.
Fortunately workarounds are available here, but not in every CCRC..
We have 2 small busses that are regularly scheduled for shopping or entertainment/eating out/ community events and for trips to the doctor or hospital as necessary.
We also have a County on-call bus service, which requires a two day reservation. There are a few taxi services, but the base expense is $20.
You don't want to think about being carless. Enough other problems:
...BUT if it should happen, and you couldn't drive, do you have any idea of what your alternatives might be? What''s available? How much will it cost.
I would estimate that out of perhaps about 500 residents who are mobile and alert who live in our CCRC, that as many as 200 either do not have a car or access outside of the community, by themselves or with a family member. This means that they are dependent on the CCRC or commercial parties for transportation.
It works out well. It's part of what we contracted for. We feel safe.
So the question is for those who will stay in their homes forever, and would never move to a retirement complex.
Yes...there will always be transportation available... the question is how long to get it, what kind...private? community? taxi? scheduled? and then at what cost? Where you finally retire, what is available and how much will it cost. Part of the retirement decision process.
... just out of curiosity, in a question that goes along with having one car....
Do you know how much it would cost you to take a taxi, to go to a Dr. appointment, or to something "necessary" that was five or six miles away... means getting there and getting back. Taxi Lyft, Uber or Municipal "taxi" service? And, as an aside, how long to arrange this type of transport?
How much to rent a car for a day... a week.
I think this fits in with the discussion, so didn't want to start a new thread.
Since it didn't receive any replies, I decided to make it a separate thread because:
It touches a fact of life that happens to more of us than we think.
Not having a car, or being unable to drive. Not at all unusual... sometimes because of not having a license, but most commonly because of health or age.
Physical impairments
Not passing the vision test
Temporarily injured
Permanently crippled
Financially unable
License suspended or permanently cancelled
Unable to drive for any reason.
We see this every day, living in a CCRC.
Fortunately workarounds are available here, but not in every CCRC..
We have 2 small busses that are regularly scheduled for shopping or entertainment/eating out/ community events and for trips to the doctor or hospital as necessary.
We also have a County on-call bus service, which requires a two day reservation. There are a few taxi services, but the base expense is $20.
You don't want to think about being carless. Enough other problems:
...BUT if it should happen, and you couldn't drive, do you have any idea of what your alternatives might be? What''s available? How much will it cost.
I would estimate that out of perhaps about 500 residents who are mobile and alert who live in our CCRC, that as many as 200 either do not have a car or access outside of the community, by themselves or with a family member. This means that they are dependent on the CCRC or commercial parties for transportation.
It works out well. It's part of what we contracted for. We feel safe.
So the question is for those who will stay in their homes forever, and would never move to a retirement complex.
Yes...there will always be transportation available... the question is how long to get it, what kind...private? community? taxi? scheduled? and then at what cost? Where you finally retire, what is available and how much will it cost. Part of the retirement decision process.
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