Despite Calgary’s de facto title as the Best Driving City in the World (as ranked by a British research group who haven’t published a list since 2019), there are a truckload of reasons people don’t want to or can’t drive in this city.
One biggie is simply demographics: octogenarians represent one of Canada’s fastest-growing age groups, and a decline in physical or cognitive abilities often thwart plans to drive later in life.
There are thousands of seniors all over this city — many living on limited income — whose longevity and happiness pivots on one of the population’s least-addressed challenges: how do I get where I need and want to go?
Since 1995, Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society has focused on helping older Calgarians flourish physically, socially and, well, transportationally. Not having a car, a driver’s licence, money for taxis or a bus stop nearby means that getting to a medical appointment, visiting a friend or accessing help for a sick pet can be points of stress and powerlessness. The society’s flexible network of Kind Drivers consists of hundreds of volunteers, like Trish Riccio (pictured here with client, Angelika Ainsworth).
“Once a week, I choose a time that works for me to help a client get to a medical appointment, or maybe I meet them at a clinic when they get off the Access bus [formerly known as Handibus] to push their wheelchair,” says Riccio, who works full-time as an accountant. “Sometimes I take a senior and their cat to the vet or accompany them to the Unison at Kerby Centre to do their taxes.”
Roccio rarely sees the same senior twice. She loves the variety and spark of connection to vulnerable people who often live alone, are full of stories, glad for the company and, most of all, grateful for the lift.
The Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society’s roster of volunteer Kind Drivers sits at about 210; more than 700 seniors are waiting to be matched with Kind Drivers for transportation to medical appointments, errands, grocery shopping and other needs. Visit calgaryseniors.org to learn how to volunteer.