Giving up driving

[OliversMom]

A Villager friend of mine may soon have to give up driving due to loss of sight. Thus, driving a golf car will also be out of the equation. What do other Villagers do in this instance? Move to an apartment? A facility with a jitney service? Thanks for your replies.

[Parker]

You don't mention what other deficits this person might have, so is it possible they might need assisted living, where they have transportation services available? If they plan to stay in their home however, many folks use family, friends, taxi's, and transport service companies, etc.. The Villages, of all places, should have fairly good services available to meet any needs of an elderly population! Good luck to you.

[Ohiogirl]

I may be mistaken, but I believe I read a few months ago that one of the Singles' clubs - Sumter Baby Boomers? (not sure) - was forming a service club offering occasional transport services to those Village residents needing an occasional ride, such as grocery shopping or a doctor appt. Not sure if it got off the ground or not, or how viable that would be, but am sure someone will answer. If not, check their website and contact their organizer for a definitive answer.

[Quixote]

A Villager friend of mine may soon have to give up driving due to loss of sight. Thus, driving a golf car will also be out of the equation. What do other Villagers do in this instance? Move to an apartment? A facility with a jitney service? Thanks for your replies.

I don’t know what the story is in Marion or Lake Counties, but in Sumter County, the last I heard there is on-call transportation available for a nominal fee of $1.50 one way and is not limited in terms of reasons for use. That is, it can be for a medical appointment, and it can also be for an afternoon playing cards at a rec center. Suggest to your friend to call the Sumter County Transportation Department at 352-568-6683 for more specific (and more up-to-date) information.

[SusanOfWoodbury]

If all else fails they could hire someone to take them to the grocery store, appts etc... or they could contact Senior Home Companions, located in the Villages and run by a person who owns a home in the Villages.