DC Seniors'
Mobility Guaranteed with Agency's
Top Filght Transportation Network
Washington, DC is
fortunate to have an array of public/private partnerships that
benefit citizens while fostering better living conditions. Such
was the case when UPO entered into such a partnership with the
DC Office on Aging to provide transportation services for DC senior
citizens.
Today, UPO operates its Special Operations
Unit, headed by veteran employee Ms. Lester Monica Wynn, out of
the Center for Aging Services located in northeast Washington.
Several unique forms of transportation are provided including
the very popular Homebound Delivered Meals services that operates
throughout the District of Columbia.
The agency’s Homebound Delivered Meals operation serves 843
customers per day and operates with 22 employees including drivers,
food service aides, and utility/administration staff. Workers
arrive at base where they pickup their respective vehicles, all
in preparation for another day providing seniors with daily nutritious
meals.
Drivers and food service aides then head for the southeast Washington
location of Nutrition, Incorporated where meals are prepared.
Meals are closely checked, including special diet meals. With
an average of 95 to 144 meals per route, there isn’t much
time to spare - afterall, senior citizen customers are waiting.
Generally, the hardworking Homebound Meals staff are on-the-road
between 9:30 AM and 2 PM making designated stops throughout most
of the District of Columbia.
Some seniors are in special need of very unique transportation
services. Such is the case with those individuals who are in need
of Medical Dialysis treatment. This very important population
uses UPO’s Washington Elderly Handicapped Transportation
Service buses to make their appointments at various dialysis centers
citywide.
Just what is the Washington Elderly Handicapped Transportation
Service? WEHTS is a UPO operated program funded by the DC Office
on Aging specifically to transport DC’s senior citizens,
especially those with certain disabilities. The comfortable buses
crisscross the District of Columbia taking seniors to various
doctors appointments, clinic visits, and other trips needed by
this important segment of the population. WEHTS busses are all
equipped with special lifts needed by some program participants.
Special Operations serves between 95 and 145 customers daily transporting
them to 18 dialysis centers. Special wheelchair lifts are a must,
as are sensitive drivers. These drivers are trained in CPR and
other Red Cross certified emergency services. All drivers carry
two-way hand-held radios especially for such emergencies.
WEHTS also transports seniors on unique group shopping trips to
local stores and malls. Between 20 and 25 senior citizens sites
are covered where senior participants ride to various stores within
the Capital Beltway.
Senior citizen wellness is rapidly becoming an important issue
especially in the year 2000. As people live longer, there is a
longing to become and remain as healthy and robust as possible.
UPO’s Special Operations is “on-the-job” even transporting
seniors to such centers as the 9th Street YWCA, the Wellingness
Center, and to classes at the University of the District of Columbia,
the City’s public university.
Another important element of Special Operations is the hugely
popular Call -n- Ride, an activity that uses DC taxicabs to transport
seniors to their respective destinations at reduced rates. Currently,
more than 420 seniors avail themselves of this unique one of a
kind service. Seniors 60 years of age or older may be eligible
to use the Call -n- Ride service where upon acceptance, they purchase
coupons depending on their income. Seniors may purchase up to
$40 worth of coupons per month.
###
Other articles - this issue
1. Celebrating
the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
More that 1000 United Planning Organization
friends and supposters joined together ...
3. DC Seniors' Mobility
Guaranteed with Agency's Top-Flight Transportation Network
Washington, DC is
fortunate to have an array of public/private partnerships that
benefit...
UPO REPORTER
Published by the United
Planning Organization
401 M Street, SW Washington, DC 20024
President: Russell D. Simmons
Executive Director: Benjamin Jennings
Writer/Editor: Harvey N. Johnson III
Click here for main "REPORTER" page
