Public Forum in Santa Monica - Participate in the Planning : Independent Transportation Network Driving Program Keeping Older Adults Connected to their Communities
The Center for Healthy Aging and ITNSantaMonicaTM will be holding a public forum on Thursday, Sept. 8.
Santa Monica, CA (PRWEB) August 25, 2005 -- Be part of planning an important
program for the community! Center for Healthy Aging and ITNSantaMonicaTM will be
holding a public forum on Thursday, Sept. 8. This is the first of three public
forums to be held in the area to gather the input, questions, and comments from
Santa Monica and nearby communities as we discuss the feasibility, plans, and
launch of the Independent Transportation Network driving program presently
scheduled for the Spring of 2006.
The Program:
ITNSantaMonicaTM will
supplement – not replace – existing transportation options for older adults in
Santa Monica and nearby communities. The program is designed to offer seniors
the maximum in independence, choice, and freedom they seek by using caring,
trained, volunteer drivers to collect clients from their homes, not just the
curbside, and provide customized service not currently available.
ITNSantaMonicaTM will be offered to the greater Santa Monica area and will not
be restricted by city boundaries. ITNSantaMonicaTM is modeled after the very
successful Independent Transportation Network® program founded ten years ago in
Portland, Maine. This program is currently undergoing a national rollout
(ITNAmericaTM), beginning with the Santa Monica area, and is designed to provide
dignified, responsive transportation keeping older adults connected to the
community.
The Need:
Many older adults will
outlive the decision to stop driving by 7-10 years and most still will prefer to
ride in cars in order to provide them with greater flexibility and choice and
keep them connected with their communities. Although there is a range of
transportation options available to older adults in Santa Monica and nearby
communities, which work very well for many types of trips, there are often
limitations in terms of location, time, and assistance.
The
Forum:
The Public Forum will be held on Thursday, Sept.8, 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. at
Emeritus College, Room 107, 1227 Second Street in Santa Monica. Speakers will
include Kathy Freund, President and Executive Director of ITNAmericaTM, and Dr.
Monika White, President/CEO of Center for Healthy Aging. Admission is free. We
look forward to seeing you there at this very important community
event.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/8/prweb276454.htm