Improving transportation for the elderly and disabled in Sonoma County

How easily can older adults and residents with disabilities get around in Sonoma County? How often do they forgo important trips because they lack transportation? What are the local transportation challenges, successes and gaps in services?

Older adults age 60-plus and residents with disabilities are invited to discuss these questions and share their experiences at an upcoming meeting hosted by the Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 21 at Vintage House senior center, 264 First St. E.

The community’s input will become part of the Sonoma County Connected Communities Transportation Study. To register, call 565-5903 or email aaa@schsd.org.

“In the 2016-2020 AAA Community Report, 57 percent of Sonoma County older adults and persons with disabilities stated they are concerned about access to local transportation,” said County of Sonoma Adult and Aging Division Director Paul Dunaway in a press release announcing the study. “It’s vital to get input from older adults and people with disabilities to plan a transportation system that makes it easier to get to health appointments, the grocery store and community events. Better transportation systems also allow better access to job options and financial opportunities for all residents.”

From January throuth March, the AAA will host several discussion groups throughout the county to field information for the study.