Rising costs highlight area’s senior transportation needs From the cover
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Paired with a tendency for the median house- hold income of Texans to decrease as they age, per a 2023 report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, an increasing cost of living can put additional strain on the fixed incomes of seniors, Lacasse said. “If they didn’t work much, or they didn’t have a very high-paying job, they get very little [from Social Security],” Lacasse said. Seniors relying on Social Security might be left with little for medical care and groceries after paying for housing, she said. While Senior Access does not provide consistent meals, Lacasse said the group does connect riders with additional resources, such as the Round Rock Area Serving Center and Meals on Wheels. Viola Brown, a Round Rock resident and Senior Access client, said what she appreciates most about the service is its fostering of relationships among riders. It also negated her need to purchase a car when she moved to the area.
more in the long run, especially if multiple rides must be called for a senior due to time requirements from the rideshare. “The good thing is that we’re able to get them the ride,” Lacasse said. “The bad thing is sometimes a senior isn’t as savvy to get on a Lyft, like a younger person, or maybe has a little bit of confusion and they just don’t understand.” Along with a spike in mileage per month in 2022, distance driven by volunteers and rideshares has increased year over year. The increase in mileage is matched with a year- over-year increase in demand. In October, the nonprofit saw a four-year high of 1,561 rides, totaling over 17,000 miles driven. That’s up about 300 rides and 800 miles from the previous year, data shows.
While a variety of ride services for seniors operate within the city limits, those who live outside the bounds of Round Rock must rely on Senior Access, rides from friends or rideshares. Lacasse said her organization is able to provide door-to-door service to out-of-city seniors but is short on volunteers to help carry out needed services, especially as more riders move farther away in search of affordability. “That becomes a struggle in Round Rock, in the sense of the city transportation goes to city limits and a little bit farther, but doesn’t usually go to these new subdivisions,” Lacasse said. With a smaller pool of volunteers, the nonprofit has contracted with Lyft to offer medical rides for seniors to meet the increased demand. While this means that service is not disrupted, Lacasse said this ends up costing Senior Access
Miles matter Senior Access Executive Director Serita Lacasse said her organization has observed an increase in total mileage as seniors move farther from medical resources due to higher costs of living.
Median household income for older Texans in 2021
24K
$72,000
16K
$49,200
$45,000
$34,000
8K
134% increase
0
2021
2022
2023
Jan.-Oct. 2024
50-64
64-79
80+
All older adults
SOURCE: SENIOR ACCESS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: JOINT CENTER FOR HOUSING STUDIES OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY, HOUSING AMERICA’S OLDER ADULTS 2023/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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