While private and public transport may seem like an easy transportation option for young people, they are not quite suitable or safe for older people. Finding the right transportation for seniors can be a challenge, as you would not want anything to go wrong. Disabled, ill, or elderly people often need assistance moving around, and ensuring they are in safe hands will take worries off your mind.
Fortunately, there are several transportation services for seniors that are safe and affordable at the same time. When choosing a transportation for seniors, you must not rely solely on the advertisements and make some inquiries yourself. Here we have listed some of the most important questions that you need to ask when choosing a mode of transportation for seniors. Only when a service company satisfies all your queries should you proceed towards making a deal.
Questions to Ask Before Picking a Transportation for Seniors Service
Are Door-through-Door Services Available?
Patients who have severe mobility issues and are bedridden need more than just picking up and dropping off. A handicapped transportation service must include a door through door facility. Ensure that the company has staff trained well in stretcher transfers, as it would make transportation for seniors painless and safe. Stretcher transfer is tougher than it looks and thus must only be conducted by professionals.
What Kind of Vehicles Do They Have?
Private cars are not safe for transportation for seniors simply because they do not come equipped with enough apparatus and safety belts. NEMT service vehicles then become the best option for seniors. Make sure that they use the latest vehicles with the best safety features and have new stretchers and wheelchairs.
Find out how regularly the vehicles are disinfected and cleaned. These vehicles are used to transport several people with different diseases, and older people can catch infections very quickly if the vehicle is not cleaned regularly.
How Do They Appoint Drivers
When dealing with patients, it is important to appoint the best drivers who can drive and are also cautious and empathetic. The quality of the driver defines the service and the company greatly.
Make sure that the drivers have received some training in first aid and CPR to be of use in any case of emergency. They should have a clean record and a valid driver’s license. The best NEMT services companies track their drivers throughout the trip making the transportation for seniors further safe. Knowing they are being watched keeps them on their toes, and they avoid rash driving.
The drivers should be drug tested at the time of hiring and at regular intervals. The best way to conduct drug tests is by surprise. This keeps them alert, and culprits can be caught red-handed.
What are the Costs?
While the final cost may depend upon the services you request, it is best to pick a company that has affordable pricing. Enquire about the layout of fees and how they charge- hours-wise or distance-wise. Transportation for seniors need not always be expensive. With some research and survey, you will find one that offers the best services in an affordable price range.
Are the Staff Trained?
The staff who accompany your patient must also be well trained in areas of stretcher transfer, first aid, CPR, etc. They should be able to take care of the patient throughout the journey. Know how they are trained and what areas they are trained in. Having well-coached staff makes transportation for seniors safe and easy.
Is Wait On-Site Service Available?
Some appointments like dialysis, plastic surgery, etc. can take a significant amount of time, and if the patient does not have a family member to wait outside, it can be difficult for them as well as risky. Some companies offer to wait on-site implying that they would gladly wait until the patient is done and only leave once he is safely transported back to his home.
Several companies offer transportation services for elders, but many of them are here just to do business. Finding a company that genuinely cares for your elders can be a boon. Whether you are busy or out of the station, your loved ones will not have to miss an appointment on account of a lack of safe transportation for seniors. Elders can also enjoy the benefits of long-distance elderly transportation services with such companies.
Therefore, the next time you consider any NEMT service, do not forget to clarify the above-mentioned questions.
