Living Car Free - Older Car Free Citizens: Suggestions and Ideas.

My grandmother is in her 80s. She is a very capable and intelligent woman who recently was debilitated by a fall and in the process has decided that she should sell her car and begin a carfree life. I don't believe that money is the mitigating factor so she can afford less frugal alternatives to the car, especially since she feels as though she is not physically capable of riding a bike.

Some of her favorite activities prior to getting rid of her car were meeting friends for food at restaurants, going to lectures, lecturing herself, and...and.. well, I'm not quite sure. Her therapy office is in the apartment so that makes any kind of work easy. She just got rid of her car the other day and isn't the kind of grandmother who sits around the house all day.

Any suggestions from those of you more experienced on how to do this with grace?

I can give you my grandmother's answer. Planning.

She moved into a very nice apartment in Santa Monica with a front row view of the Pacific. The Santa Monica mall was two blocks away. Her favorite Japanese Restaurant was 3 blocks away. Many other restaurants were closeby as well. The grocery store and doctors were a bus ride away. And when necessary, she could take a taxi.

So for your grandmother, she needs to make sure she lives where she has the transportation to reach all the services that she needs.

Many years ago I visited a small old town in the Northeast, where I met some quite elderly people who were getting along in great style. They lived within a few blocks of each other in large old houses on the town square. They visited each other all day and all evening, with friends and family of all ages constantly dropping by. People did errands and chores for each other. The younger folks seemed to do most of the transportation related jobs and muscle work. The elderly ones specialized more in directing, coordinating, and of course recollecting and philosophizing.

One thing that was interesting to me is that a couple of the most elderly, who were said to have Alzheimers, were taken care of with dignity and fit right in the group as valued friends and family.

That small community of family and friends in the little Yankee town where they still eat pie for breakfast really impressed me. It stands in stark contrast with the modern model of isolated suburban living.

I agree with Platy and Artkansas, planning and community. My parents gave up their cars finally. They should have done it a few years earlier in my opinion. They were surprised at all the community resources available and how easy it was to get a cab. I'm no longer the only car free person in the family.

My grandmother is in her 80s. She is a very capable and intelligent woman who recently was debilitated by a fall and in the process has decided that she should sell her car and begin a carfree life. I don't believe that money is the mitigating factor so she can afford less frugal alternatives to the car, especially since she feels as though she is not physically capable of riding a bike.

Some of her favorite activities prior to getting rid of her car were meeting friends for food at restaurants, going to lectures, lecturing herself, and...and.. well, I'm not quite sure. Her therapy office is in the apartment so that makes any kind of work easy. She just got rid of her car the other day and isn't the kind of grandmother who sits around the house all day.

Any suggestions from those of you more experienced on how to do this with grace?
My mother is 85, lives in an apartment by herself, has a car which she never drives. A couple of features of her lifestyle:
* She lives next to a walking trail, so she walks 2 miles every other day. She really enjoys the exercise and is sort of depressed when she can't get out.
* She has her groceries and drugs delivered. This is a little more expensive for her, but these shops are too far away to walk.
* She does not take part in the local senior's community, but there is one and I think there's one in every town in North America... if you take the trouble to find it. I think her avoidance of these senior activities really detracts from her quality of life.

I think it's a good idea for your grandmother to give up her car. I wish more seniors would follow her lead.

I think the groceries delivered could be really helpful to her. I don't know if she would be interested in a "senior's community" per say but connecting with things going on near her home would be helpful.

Other suggestions?

Want to live longer?

Start cycling or keep cycling.

It's as simple as that.

My dad, at 79, has built up a life where he has been able to phase out car use over the past few years. He's walking distance from the mall and if he needs to get downtown, it's a quick city bus ride. He talks about how the parking alone would cost him more than bus fare. For church and a few other activities, he'll still drive, but that's about it. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he eventually cuts out even this amount of driving.

Cutting back on driving is nothing new for him as he began practicing car-light living long before it became fashionable to do so. Over the past year, he has even considered getting an electric bike to scoot around the city.

Cutting back on driving is nothing new for him as he began practicing car-light living long before it became fashionable to do so.

I had no idea I was en vogue!

My mother gave up her car when she realised that her eyesight just wasn't good enough any more, and I admired her for it. She used the money she saved by not having a car for taxis, and I ordered her groceries online because she didn't have a computer. It took careful planning -- I made very sure I ordered what she wanted, and not what I thought she wanted -- and trust on her part. I had her credit card number after all. She even made a bit of money by renting out the parking space in her condo building.

Cutting back on driving is nothing new for him as he began practicing car-light living long before it became fashionable to do so.

Is it fashionable yet? The people in the office today were complaining that gas is 3.78 now but in the same conversation talking about driving out to the suburban mall on the weekend and complaining that they can't find a parking spot near the door of the "Olive Garden". These women don't even want to walk across a parking lot to pig out.

Hello. New member, wanted to tell you about what more and more old peopel in Norway is doing, quite a cold place at least half the year. The number of "moped cars" is increasing. This is a small, light car, run on electricity or fuel. Only allowed reduced speed, not on the big main roads. Driver plus one pasanger often. Also the "built in electric wheelchairs" is increasing in numbers. Electric, slow speed, allowed to drive on sidewalks.

My grandparents have a pair of these to ride down to the beach:

http://www.davesbikes.com/adult_delux1.gif

It's not an high performance of a real recumbant, but it's cheap and really easy to get on and off and pedal slowly. My grandpa rode it a lot after a stroke impacted his mobility and endurance, and had no problems. Though the dog pulling on her leash helped a lot :)

Or, how about an electric assist bike? http://www.powabyke.com/ They have trikes too.

Here's an older thread:
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-172061.html

If you're doing lots of riding and don't have a problem getting on the lower seat position, a recumbant tricycle would probably be a better choice. Can still add a motor too :)

My dad has a network of friends who drive him to church, card games, doctor appointments and out to lunch or dinner. He entertains friends in his own home to reciprocate.

Most communities have on-demand public transit for seniors and the handicapped. You call the bus company for a ride and you get picked up at your home and delivered to your destination. My dad doesn't get into this, but he said he could if he really had to.

Want to live longer?

Start cycling or keep cycling.

It's as simple as that.


That is probably true. But there are some people whose physical disabilities make cycling impossible.

Most communities have on-demand public transit for seniors and the handicapped. You call the bus company for a ride and you get picked up at your home and delivered to your destination. My dad doesn't get into this, but he said he could if he really had to.

We have this here. To use the service, you need to call 24 hours in advance. This makes things a bit cumbersome. We also have a Taxi Saver program. Those who qualify get coupons to cover all or some of the taxi fares, once again giving some added mobility.

Cutting back on driving is nothing new for him as he began practicing car-light living long before it became fashionable to do so. Over the past year, he has even considered getting an electric bike to scoot around the city.

....

But there are some people whose physical disabilities make cycling impossible.

True. One solution for people who can handle light exercise, (but aren't necessarily able to balance a bicycle or safely control a fast 3000 pound vehicle) is an adult trike. With electric assist, if appropriate to the situation.