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We have received a lot of inquiries from people looking for assistance with transportation. In response to this need Visiting Angels is proud to present our transportation service!
Our transportation service includes:
Door-to-door pick-up and drop-off
3 hours of service *
10 miles of free transportation **
Companionship and assistance
Our caregiver will wait with you
Flexible Scheduling
No Long Term or Ongoing Obligation
All caregivers are screened, bonded and insured with valid CA Driver’s Licenses and car insurance (can also drive insured client’s car)
Think of us for:
Outpatient Surgery and Procedures
Grocery Shopping
Prescription Pick-up
Doctor Appointments
Beauty Parlor Visits
Errands
Hospital Discharge Assistance
And much more!
To schedule transportation or for more information, please call one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
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| 11/30/2009 10:53:48 AM |
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How would you react if you were sitting in the back seat, one of your parents were driving, and they became slightly confused when it came time to take an exit? Or if they brushed a curb while driving down the road?
Most people wouldn’t consider either situation alarming, but what if your loved one got lost on the way to the grocery store or some other place they had been to dozens of times before?
It happened to 84-year-old “Mary” of Charlotte, N.C., about two years ago. She was supposed to drive herself to a dentist appointment, but somehow ended up about 10 miles away at a post office. Fortunately she remembered her home phone number and was able to call her husband for help. When he arrived, he hugged her and with tears in his eyes told her it was time to take away the keys.
As the baby boomers age, taking away the keys is a decision more and more of their children and spouses are going to have to make. Safe driving is no longer possible once a person’s vision, hearing and/or reaction time have become impaired by old age; or once diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia have robbed them of such cognitive abilities as memory, judgment and understanding.
“In Mary’s case, it wasn’t the first time she had taken a wrong turn. Fortunately, her husband found the strength to take away the keys, but a lot of people are reluctant to do so because they fear their loved one will see it as a loss of their freedom and dignity. We make sure that is not the case,” says Pat Drea, vice president of Visiting Angels, the agency hired to help Mary just days after she lost her keys.
Some days the Visiting Angels would play cards with Mary or help her do housework and make dinner; other days she’d drive Mary to doctors’ appointments or the store, or just take her to the park for an afternoon stroll. “Our Visiting Angels did everything possible to make life seem normal that year before Mary entered the nursing home which I’m sure both she and her husband appreciated,” says Drea.
In addition to helping out at home, Visiting Angels can also be hired as companions for people in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Their services are covered by most long term care insurance plans.
For more information about how Visiting Angels can assist your loved one with their transportation needs, please call one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585 |
| 6/17/2009 9:53:42 AM |
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Convincing an older adult that it is time to give up the car keys is a challenge. Many seniors see losing the ability to drive as a blow to their independence. However, older drivers can become a safety risk to other drivers and themselves. This is particularly true if they are experiencing any of the physical impediments to driving that come with age, including impaired vision, hearing loss and diminished response time.
An employee at Visiting Angels in Illinois faced just such a challenge with her own father-in-law. This article about her experience, as well as the experiences of a few others, may help you come up with a plan to approach the older driver in your life about giving up their car keys.
As the article explains, there are many resources available to help you convince a senior that they are no longer safe to drive. A person's physician or eye doctor can plead your case from an unbiased and professional perspective. In California, the California Highway Patrol Older Californian Traffic Safety Task Force conducts workshops and provides resources to promote older driver safety. Visiting Angels has developed informational brochures about the issues that arise among older drivers and how to address these issues. Our previously posted blogs on the subject may also be helpful. Click on the category "Driving Issues" on the list on the right side of this page.
To receive information about older driver safety or to find out how we can assist with transporting the older adult in your life who has given up their car keys, contact one of our Bay Area offices:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
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| 1/19/2009 9:59:13 AM |
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How do you know when it's time to take the keys away from an older adult driver? Here are a few signs that you may need to have a difficult conversation with your family member or loved one about their ability to continue driving:
Abrupt lane changes, braking or acceleration
Reacts slowly to changes in driving environment
Has close calls or more fender benders than usual
Fails to use turn signal or keeps signal on without changing lanes
Drifts into other lanes
Drives on the wrong side of the road or in the shoulder
Appears fearful or scared of driving or excessively tired after driving
Has trouble reading signs or navigating directions; gets lost more than usual
Notices the irritation and honking of other drivers but doesn’t seem to understand, or seems oblivious to the frustration of other drivers
Fails to pay attention to signs, signals or pedestrians
Misses exits or backs up after missing exit
Experiences physical difficulty or range of motion issues (looking over the shoulder, moving hands or feet, etc.)
For more information about safe driving and to read a story about how Visiting Angels helped one older adult stay independent after losing her keys, read our previously posted article, "When It's Time to Take the Keys Away."
To learn more about Visiting Angels, our caregivers and how we may be of assistance to you or a loved one, please feel free to call us:
Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano Counties: (925) 552-6500
Marin and San Francisco Counties: (415) 499-1200
San Joaquin Valley: (209) 952-3585
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| 9/22/2008 12:16:50 PM |
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When It’s Time to Take the Keys Away
(ARA) - How would you react if you were sitting in the back seat, one of your parents were driving, and they became slightly confused when it came time to take an exit? Or if they brushed a curb while driving down the road? Most people wouldn’t consider either situation alarming, but what if your loved one got lost on the way to the grocery store or some other place they had been to dozens of times before?
It happened to 84-year-old “Mary” of Charlotte, N.C., about two years ago. She was supposed to drive herself to a dentist appointment, but somehow ended up about 10 miles away at a post office. Fortunately she remembered her home phone number and was able to call her husband for help. When he arrived, he hugged her and with tears in his eyes told her it was time to take away the keys.
As the baby boomers age, taking away the keys is a decision more and more of their children and spouses are going to have to make. Safe driving is no longer possible once a person’s vision, hearing and/or reaction time have become impaired by old age; or once diseases like Alzheimers and dementia have robbed them of such cognitive abilities as memory, judgment and understanding.
“In Mary’s case, it wasn’t the first time she had taken a wrong turn. Fortunately, her husband found the strength to take away the keys, but a lot of people are reluctant to do so because they fear their loved one will see it as a loss of their freedom and dignity. We make sure that is not the case,” says Pat Drea, vice president of Visiting Angels, the agency hired to help Mary just days after she lost her keys.
Some days the Visiting Angels would play cards with Mary or help her do housework and make dinner; other days she’d drive Mary to doctors’ appointments or the store, or just take her to the park for an afternoon stroll. “Our Visiting Angels did everything possible to make life seem normal that year before Mary entered the nursing home which I’m sure both she and her husband appreciated,” says Drea.
In addition to helping out at home, Visiting Angels can also be hired as companions for people in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Their services are covered by most long term care insurance plans.
Visiting Angels is the nation’s fastest growing franchisor of non-medical senior homecare. The company now has 300 offices across the country. To find the one nearest you, log on to www.visitingangels.com or call (800) 365-4189.
Courtesy of ARA Content |
| 9/22/2008 12:09:17 PM |
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