Advisory Commission on Aging Weighs Senior Transportation Options

When the Advisory Commission on Aging decided to hold its monthly meeting at the Morton Grove Public Library, the goal was to become more visible. They succeeded this past week on March 8, bringing out an audience of more than 15 people after months of holding their discussions in an otherwise empty room at the Memorial American Legion Civic Center.

“I want to thank you all for coming,” commission member Noble LeHew said. “Many times we sit here at a table and we look at one another. It’s nice to see some folks.”

Much of the meeting was devoted to discussing the transportation task force. A group of four commission members has been researching possible transportation options following the elimination of the Seniortran buses in December.

“Our concern is for people getting around town for very practical things,” said commission member Iris Nason. “People need to get to friends, doctor visits, stores, church and temple.”

Nason said the task force has met twice already to discuss how other transportation programs around the country are run and funded and review other local options that might be able to help Morton Grove seniors.

Jackie Walker-O’Keefe, Morton Grove’s director of family and senior services, said seniors can pick up free coupons for a $2.25 discount on American Cab taxi rides at the Morton Grove Civic Center. Niles’ Free Bus runs along a fixed route that Morton Grove residents can use if they’re in the area. Maine Township sells $1 vouchers for disabled residents, which are good for $15 in cab fees, including tip.

“They don’t get heavily, heavily used but we would like to see more people use it, especially in Morton Grove,” O’Keefe said.

After Nason asked if other commission members would get involved in the task force and lend their expertise, Tom Stockenberg said he is already helping other seniors get around by taking people to the Community Nutrition Network’s Lunch Bunch and Bingo.

“That’s the only way we can keep the darn thing open,” Stockenberg said. “It’s nothing official. It’s just neighborly. We don’t have to get official all the time.”

Stockenberg said only eight people showed up to take advantage of the $3.25 hot lunch last week, the lowest attendance he’s ever seen. Commission member Anne Marrazzo said she’s been volunteering at Lunch Bunch for about 14 years and also believes the program’s decline is due to transportation issues.

“When we had the free bus sometimes they had up to 40 to 45 people,” she said.

Village Trustee John Thill agreed that friends helping friends is better than getting the village government involved, but noted that seniors could be stranded if the friend they rely on gets sick.

“We have to have some sort of structure for helping people or people will get left behind,” Thill said.

When the commission opened the floor to comments, Nancy Lanning, a Morton Grove resident for 72 years, said she also already drives around fellow seniors and that she would help if a formal program began. No one else in the audience volunteered to participate, but many raised their voices in agreement when Nason asked if they thought a volunteer transportation network was a good idea.

“I think it’s very important, especially for a senior who is not ambulatory, who is housebound and does not have children in the area,” Nason said. “I think as a group we can be a very strong group. We just need to reach out and help.”