AARP Ride@50+ Program’s Free Rides Offer Funds More Than Free Transportation

To close out the year, the AARP Ride@50+ Program is providing free rides in its three markets – Columbia, SC; Dallas, TX; and Washtenaw County, MI – via all its transportation providers to all individuals from late September through December 17, or until all funds are spent. There is no limit on the dollar amount per ride, nor a limit on the number of rides an individual may book – while supplies last.

Jewish Family Services Provides Door-Through-Door Transportation to Residents of Washtenaw County

In a recent interview with Devon Meier, the Chief Development Officer of Jewish Family Services in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Alison Peterson, the Community Development Manager for the AARP Ride@50+ Program asked about JFS’s transportation services and the positive impact its services bring to the community through collaboration with the AARP Ride@50+ Program.

What’s the Difference? Accessible vs. Ambulatory Trips

Let’s talk about what the terms ‘accessible’ and ‘ambulatory’ mean when it comes to transportation services available via the AARP Ride@50+ Program.

Rides Now Available for All Trip Purposes

At AARP, our top priority is the health and well-being of our staff, volunteers, members, and the community at large. We also recognize the vital role of transportation in providing access to goods and services, and we’re thrilled to let you know that we’re ready to resume service for all trip types through the AARP Ride@50+ Program! You can now take a ride for entertainment, education, employment or whatever purpose you want!

Live to Virtual – The Pandemic Switch

What do we do when the world changes? How do we adjust to a changing environment? We change with it, and that’s exactly what we did at the AARP Ride@50+ Program!

Washtenaw County, Michigan Leaders Come Together to Expand Vaccine Access for the Community

The AARP Ride@50+ Program Mobility Leadership Circle (MLC) is a quarterly meeting of community leaders invested in the idea of transportation access for all. In March 2021, just as the COVID-19 vaccines were first rolling out to the public, the MLC in Washtenaw County, MI met, and Community Development Manager for the Program, Alison Petersen, posed a question:

Friends Embracing

Local Church Uses AARP Ride@50+ Program for Transportation Access for LGBT Members

The Washington Street United Methodist Church (UMC) in Columbia, SC is working hard to ensure that no member of their congregation is without care and support, providing many ministry groups focused on the various stages of life for everyone. One such group is the Reconciling Ministries Team, which supports LGBTQ older adults through its ANGELS (Aging in God's Eternal Love) group.

AARP Ride@50+℠ Program Aims to Help Ensure Access to Health Care by Increasing Transportation Options

In December 2020, Eujeanetra’s mother was diagnosed with COVID-19. Like many, Eujeanetra is her mother’s caregiver, and this was the start of a difficult time for both of them. Her mother, who is also a bariatric patient challenged with obesity and needing ongoing pulmonary care, was hospitalized for seven weeks. It was a critical time, and their shared experience of her recovery was going to be complicated and uncertain.

AARP June 2021 Newsletter Dallas

AARP Ride@50+℠ Program Works to Increase Access and Ease Burden for Individuals Seeking COVID-19 Vaccination

Equitable transportation for vaccination is imperative for a successful emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic. For individuals who do not drive or do not have a vehicle, receiving timely, effective vaccination becomes more complicated. It requires extra coordination, preparation, time, and cost. There can be times when the public transit system is not workable for a person seeking vaccination. Route limitations or individual mobility needs and concerns can impact an individual’s ability to utilize the bus system.

February Columbia 2021

The AARP Ride@50+℠ Program Bridges the Gap that often Prevents Care to Those Who Need It

Many patients at St. Joseph Mercy Academic Internal Medicine in Ypsilanti, Michigan are dealing with the aftermath of a severe health event, such as a stroke, or are receiving ongoing management for diabetes, chronic pain, heart disease, or other chronic conditions.

Patients visit the clinic from the city of Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Belleville, Michigan, and other area communities, and for many very low-income patients, transportation is limited. For patients who need frequent, consistent appointments for follow-up care and medication adjustments, trips to the clinic become overwhelming without adequate mobility resources.

February Dallas 2021

Out of the Cold and Into Comfort: The AARP Ride@50+℠ Program Offers Transportation Support in a Time of Crisis

On February 15, 2021, the AARP Ride@50+ Program received a call from Clark East Tower, an affordable living apartment community for individuals age 62+ in Ypsilanti, MI. The caller indicated an urgent need for assistance in the face of an unexpected crisis.

There had been a devastating fire at the apartment complex earlier that afternoon. Although the fire department had gotten the fire under control, approximately 45 individuals over age 60 were stranded outside in 14-degree temperatures. The first flurries from an incoming major winter storm started to flitter about in the chilled air.

February Columbia 2021

Get To Know Columbia, SC - How a Historic City with Expansive Suburbs Can Extend Transportation Options to Support Suburban and Rural Areas

The historic city of Columbia, SC, is approximately 200 years old. Extending into both Richland and Lexington Counties, Columbia has a distinctive city center that expands outward into a large suburban community. According to the US Census Bureau, the two counties' population is approximately 678,000, with a variation in population density throughout the surrounding area due to the presence of the University of South Carolina and Fort Jackson within the city limits. Because the university and military base take up a large portion of the city center, many facilities and services are located beyond the city limits, reaching into the suburban areas with less population density.

February Dallas 2021

Get to Know Southern Dallas, TX - How Increasing Transportation Options Can Help Strengthen Community Support for Residents

In the Southern sector of Dallas Texas, approximately 315,000 residents share approximately 110 square miles. The area south of Downtown Dallas, bordered on the north by Interstate 30, is home to several organizations that offer residents engagement and care opportunities. Southern Dallas is home to many large employers, extensive medical facilities, more than twenty smaller health care clinics, several community organizations, as well as resources to support long-term health for older adults. Residents of Southern Dallas can also find resources to meet their economic and social needs within their surrounding zip-codes.

Get to Know Washtenaw County, MI - How Transportation Coordination Can Help Expand Accessibility for Residents in Ann Arbor and Throughout the County

Ann Arbor is a city of approximately 118,000 residents and is located in Washtenaw County, MI. But Ann Arbor itself covers only four percent of Washtenaw County’s land area and, the population more than triples when considering the entire county. The region is heavily influenced by the numerous colleges and universities and an extensive network of nationally ranked medical systems.

December 2020 Dallas

Increased Collaboration Leads to Increased Awareness in Dallas County:

As of 2017, there are 1.2 million residents in Dallas, Texas. Each individual has an origin story, a current state of being, and a hope for the future. As a community of many, Dallas is a city with multiple needs and an abundance of opportunities. In recent months, the AARP Ride@50+SM Program has identified a specific need to expand access to food and medical care. Having conversations and building relationships with area non-profits has been informative in uncovering opportunities the AARP Ride@50+ Program has to provide Dallas area residents access to the services that can help them maintain their hope for the future.

December 2020 The Comet

Columbia, SC’s The COMET Provides Additional Community Support During Pandemic:

Serving Richland and Lexington Counties in South Carolina, which includes Columbia, The COMET provides transit service and works to respond to the needs and opportunities within the community. The COMET consistently serves as a crucial mobility provider for older adults and is a transportation provider in the AARP Ride@50+ Program booking platform, which functions as a one-stop-shop for transportation options in the Columbia area. Brittany Terry, Mobility Management Specialist for The COMET, has seen how important mobility is for older adults wishing to engage with their community. Recalling stories from passengers and community members, Brittany remembers individuals who have been significantly impacted by the transit system:

October 2020

Local Voices Use Local Strategies to Move Dallas Forward

On Friday, July 31, 2020, a group of 63 visionary people with a passion for mobility and transportation accessibility came together online for a Dallas, Texas AARP Ride@50+SM Program Mobility Leadership Circle (MLC) conversation. The MLC includes advocates and advisors for the Program, who gather quarterly to further the goal of meeting the community’s mobility needs. AARP Texas state office leaders, social service providers, and representatives from area transportation organizations all welcomed the Dallas Department of Transportation Director, Michael Rogers, to discuss his inspiration and vision for the community.

Pandemic Pivots: New Concerns Raise New Solutions for Mobility as a Service

It feels safe to say that the COVID-19 pandemic compromised our ability to access things that add joy to our lives. From necessities, such as family, food, medical care, and clothing, to cultural loves such as shopping, art, and entertainment, we feel a sense of loss. Individuals who rely on public transportation have experienced a drastic change in service since the onset of COVID-19 earlier this year. Ride options are reduced, routes adjusted, and occupancy limits lowered. It is increasingly difficult to identify transportation solutions as transit systems become more complex to meet safety and sanitization needs. In this way, the pandemic has weighed heavily on some of our citizens who need the most support. In a complicated transportation ecosystem, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a public-private approach that helps users identify their own mobility options and simplify their transportation efforts.

Methodist Generations' members stretching

For Dallas’ Methodist Generations Senior Services Program, Building Lasting Connections is the Solution

Senior wellness programming is about more than health screenings and info sessions. While these are important, the depth and breadth of senior services offered can transform retirement into a time of contribution and connection.

Rachel Kosla

AARP Ride@50+ Program Connects People and Places to Further Strengthen Washtenaw County Communities

The people of Washtenaw County, Michigan, have been working for years to meet the transportation-related needs of their communities. Organizations and individuals have collaborated to tackle issues such as accessibility, affordability, and reliability to help move their neighbors where they need to go. To help meet the goal of enhanced transportation access for older adults, AARP Driver Safety is launching the AARP Ride@50+ Program , powered by Feonix – Mobility Rising, in Washtenaw County.

Friends Embracing

Stronger Together: Increasing Access to Existing Transportation Providers

The older adult population in South Carolina is expected to double by the year 2030 to 1.8 million, according to the South Carolina Department on Aging. In Richland and Lexington Counties, the census data shows that almost 12% of seniors live in poverty.

stoplight

Continued Service Suspension Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

NOTICE: The AARP Ride@50+ Program has suspended all service through June 30, 2020. No new rides by either new or existing users may be booked via the Program at this time. At AARP, our top priority is the health and well-being of staff, volunteers, members and the community at large. This situation is dynamic and AARP will monitor it closely for needed changes to this timeline.

Bridging Gaps, Changing Lives, and Empowering Dallas’s Citizens

The AARP Ride@50+ Program and Dallas Public Library have many things in common, including the intention to be a “one-stop shop” for those they serve and to act as a bridge to other areas of need. Of course, the bridge the library provides is figurative – providing access to knowledge and resources, while the AARP Ride@50+ Program provides a literal way for individuals to get where they need to go.

Dallas mlc engagement

Mobility Leadership Circle Brings Dallas Businesses Together

When people are drawn together by a common purpose, the energy generated is palpable. That is exactly how it felt when approximately 40 of Dallas’s finest community leaders and AARP Ride@50+ Program leaders came together on January 30, 2020 for an impactful Mobility Leadership Circle meeting. This group of local advocates and advisors to the Program are crucial to ensuring the mobility needs of the community are being met.

Meet Carolyn and Hear How She Uses the AARP Ride@50+ Program to Get Around

Ms. Carolyn moved to Columbia and now uses the AARP Ride@50+ Program to experience independence again after recovering from a serious stroke.

Visiting Nurses Association to Help Expand Awareness of Ride@50+ Program to Meals on Wheels Recipients in Dallas

For 86 years, the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) has been creating a positive, life-changing impact in Dallas County, Texas. VNA, a Meals on Wheels member, provides one of the largest Meals on Wheels programs in the United States, serving more than 6,000 meals each weekday with incredible volunteers, advanced technology, and precision execution.

Adrian Leads the Team for the Dallas AARP Ride@50+ Program

After operating in Columbia, SC for over a year, the AARP Ride@50+SM Program, powered by Feonix-Mobility Rising, has expanded into Dallas, TX. While Dallas and Columbia are vastly different communities, from size – both in population and square miles – to traffic patterns and demographics, both communities, like many others across the United States, have challenges with transportation. Access to appropriate, affordable transportation is a barrier for many. Adrian Ford, a Dallas Area Ride@50+ Program Manager, assists the community in tackling these transportation challenges.

AARP Ride@50+ Program App Rolls Out Bus Pass Option

Columbia, SC area residents are in luck! As if the original “one-stop shop” functionality of the AARP Ride@50+ Program wasn’t already tremendously useful, now there are even more options to get from point A to point B. The AARP Ride@50+ Program mobile application for smartphone devices, called Feonix, now offers a new multi-modal function that includes local bus transportation, The COMET, in a whole new way!

AARP Ride@50+ Program Fuels Transportation to Employment

Nahidah SoraMeere arrived in the U.S. in 2016 as a refugee from Iraq and resettled in Columbia, South Carolina. Despite not knowing any English, she was able to quickly obtain full-time employment working in food service at a local university with the help of the non-profit Lutheran Services Carolinas’s (LSC) Immigrant and Refugee Services. LSC is one of nine national agencies that help resettle refugees and help them achieve self-sufficiency and independence when they come to the United States.

The AARP Ride@50+ Program Supports National Kidney Foundation Patient Empowerment Workshop in Columbia

The gymnasium at Brookland Baptist Church in West Columbia, South Carolina was abuzz with energy and activity on the afternoon of September 22, 2019. The National Kidney Foundation, its partners, suppliers and various nonprofit organizations participated in the second annual Patient Empowerment Workshop, organized and managed by Rena Baker, Marketing Manager of Azura Vascular Care of South Carolina in conjunction with the National Kidney Foundation. More than 400 patients, caregivers and kidney health related community organizations participated in the event, which was established to educate, empower and support kidney patients, organ donors, and their families.

Where We’ve Been & Where We’re Going – Q&A with AARP’s Kyle Rakow on the Ride@50+ Program

The AARP Ride@50+ Program is led nationally by Kyle Rakow, Vice President and National Director of AARP Driver Safety, a visionary leader for the future of mobility for older adults. A year post-launch in Columbia, Kyle explains what’s next for the program.

AARP Ride@50+SM Program Enhances Important Mission

After over 17 years in the Army, Gene Bryant was faced with the most personal battle of his life when he returned home. Gene struggled with making the transition from active duty to life outside of the military and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Gene reports he also struggled with access to the mental health care he needed, and through conversations with other veterans learned that on average there is a 120-day waiting period for access to counseling services. Gene knew he needed to do something to help, and in 2017 he and his wife Raina founded the non-profit organization, Battle Buddy 4 Life.

Shirley Jamie Tracy Kelly Brian Shirley Riley

AARP Ride@50+SM Program Provides a Sense of Relief for Mother and Adult Children after a Fall

In a matter of minutes, Jamie, Kelly, Tracey, Erin, and Brian went from being typical adult children with busy lives to caregivers for their mother when she suffered a broken ankle from a fall. Their mother, Shirley, went from being a vibrant, independent adult to needing help. She broke her ankle so severely that she received a cast and had to spend a short time in an in-patient rehabilitation facility.

Kay at mobility circle

Kay, A Driving Force for South Carolina Seniors

On any given day Kay Hightower, Manager of the Supportive Services & Outreach Unit with the South Carolina Department on Aging (SCDOA), can be found at her desk or around a board room table discussing ideas and policies that will enhance the quality of life for seniors in South Carolina. From her office window on the third floor of the Gervais Street office building in Columbia, Kay overlooks the city that she has called home for the past 15 years. In 2004, Kay relocated to Columbia from New York City to “escape the cold and enjoy life in the Palmetto State.” She quickly became involved with the SCDOA and has been enhancing the quality of life for seniors in South Carolina, through its services and outreach, for the past four and a half years.

Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority Awarded $250,000 Grant for Pilot Project to Enhance Transportation Options to Healthcare Services

Columbia-area operator of mass transportation, The COMET, will help more residents get to the doctor and other medical appointments, thanks to a competitive $250,000 grant awarded to Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority. With the kick-off of the pilot program, The COMET will offer shuttle service to bus stops throughout Lexington and Richland counties to help residents complete important healthcare-related trips.

Surviving Cancer, and Now Riding Around with the AARP Ride@50+SM Program

It was a cool winter morning, and Ruth was getting ready for the day just like she had done a thousand times before, but that morning, something wasn’t quite right. Growing up, she used to do regular breast exams, but as life got busier over the years, she no longer found the time to do them. It had been years, but that morning something told her she needed to check. That morning, she found a lump.

Melanie Dalton

Melanie Brings the Magic

Anyone who has the opportunity to meet and talk with Melanie Dalton can tell there is a special quality and energy that she brings when she walks into the room, almost like magic. As the AARP Ride@50+SM Program is now actively providing rides and support to individuals and local organizations like dialysis clinics, oncology centers, and veteran’s programs, finding the right leader for the Columbia community was a critical step. That leader and the new Ride@50+ Senior Area Manager as of June 2019, is Melanie Dalton.

Claudia Brooks

Community Values Shine through Leadership Circle for the AARP Ride@50+SM Program

To most people, the Bend of Four Holes Swamp sounds like a place that people may go on Halloween to get spooked at a haunted house. Good guess, but no. The Bend of Four Holes Swamp is the farm community where Claudia Brooks, Director of the Always United program and Development Officer for the United Way of the Midlands, grew up. It is located about 65 miles from Columbia, South Carolina. “The Bend,” as it is known, is home to families that could trace their roots to the very beginning of South Carolina statehood.

Downtown Columbia

Introducing the AARP Ride@50+SM Program

For decades, arranging transportation has been a challenge for people 50-plus and caregivers in Columbia, South Carolina. Recognizing the need for an innovative solution that would work for urban, suburban, and rural residents of Richland and Lexington counties, AARP Driver Safety launched the Ride@50+ Program, powered by Feonix – Mobility Rising.

Watch and Learn

The AARP Ride@50+ Program, powered by Feonix – Mobility Rising, is proud to bring this innovative, one-stop shop for local transportation options to Columbia, SC.

Gloria

Keys or No Keys - Gloria Berry Travels with Ease

Columbia, South Carolina resident Gloria Berry uses the AARP Ride@50+ Program to book rides for her medical appointments and leisure trips, like out to eat at her favorite restaurant.

Lourie center

Book Clubs, Fitness Programs, Painting, Classes and More - AARP Ride@50+ Program Helps Columbia Residents Access Lourie Center Programs

Featuring fitness, cultural, and educational opportunities, the Lourie Center is dedicated to providing engaging opportunities for adults over 50.