A non-profit organization that gives people with limited abilities a lift to important appointments is looking to expand its services.
Members of the Claresholm and District Transportation Society, a non-profit organization formed in 2012 that provides a transportation system for seniors and people with disabilities to medical and other important appointments, approached Black Diamond Town council earlier this month stating an interest in expanding their services to the community.
“Ideally we would like to have a van based here and some casual drivers, off-shift EMTs,” the society’s chief administrative officer Lyal O’Neill told council. “I think it’s a big part of keeping seniors in their homes for a long period of time.”
The Town would have to pay $2.70 per capita to cover the administration and maintenance costs, O’Neill said.
The dispatch and scheduling will continue to operate out of Claresholm and the vans are often purchased from service groups with matching funds by the Community Initiatives Fund, he said.
“The service makes a huge difference for seniors and the disabled and it frees up first responder units,” he said.
“If they are using the ambulance to transport people to medical appointments they are not available for emergencies.”
O’Neill said the society currently serves the MD of Willow Creek, Nanton, Stavely, Claresholm, Granum, Fort Macleod and Vulcan with seven vans, five which are wheelchair accessible, and a 26 passenger bus, but there’s also a need in Black Diamond.
“We were getting occasional calls from that area indicating to us that there was a need for that service up there,” he said, adding the service currently provides transfers to and from Oilfields General Hospital.
Black Diamond council suggested the society also approach Turner Valley, Longview and the MD of Foothills to consider partnering on the initiative.
Mayor Sharlene Brown said while more conversations are needed before a decision is made, she likes the idea of the service.
“As more people are living at home and they don’t necessarily have their drivers’ licence anymore how do they get to their appointments?” she said. “I definitely see a need.”
Last year, the society approached Vulcan, High River, Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass, with Vulcan joining the initiative in January, Pincher Creek already having an existing operation and other communities still deciding, O’Neill said.
“I certainly hope these communities sign up and we can get vans into those areas and service their residents,” he said. “Transportation is a major necessity in keeping our seniors in local towns and rural areas and keeping seniors in their homes longer.”
Howard Paulsen, the society’s board chairman, said with the population aging and services being cut back, there needs to be an affordable system in place.
The society’s fee schedule for the service covers driver and fuel costs.
The vans provide door-to-door service to and from their appointments, he said.
“I know in Claresholm we’ve gone up 33 per cent in the last year of usage,” he said.
Suzan Nagel, Family and Community Support Services coordinator, said the organization receives calls from residents inquiring about wheelchair accessible transportation a couple times a year.
“If there is a couple of people calling I’m sure there is other needs from people who don’t even know of FCSS,” she said.
“There is a need and we do have a fairly high population of seniors and that’s only going to continue. I think it’s a little bit of forward thinking to do that.”
When someone needs a handi-bus, Nagel said it costs $150 to get one from High River.
A partnership between Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview and the MD of Foothills could be more affordable for users.
“The need isn’t that great for just one small community to own their own bus, but I think certainly we could help all residents of the region who require this service,” she said.
While most High Country Lodge residents use taxis or have family members take them to their appointments, manager Val Scott said the transportation service would be handy for other seniors in the region.
“We have a huge seniors population in Black Diamond that live in their homes,” she said.
“Home care has their clients in town and there’s a lot of rural people still. I’ve got people on my wait list that are still out on their acres and farms.
