How Scooters Provide Mobility when Driving Is No Longer an Option

The Beach Boys once sang about the little old lady from Pasadena with a pretty little flower bed of white gardenias, but parked in her rickety old garage was a brand new, shiny red Super Stock Dodge.

Every time my grandmother heard that song, she would mutter under her breath that the little old lady from Pasadena’s children probably locked the Dodge in the garage and took away its keys. She was not happy about losing her driving privileges!

After all, my grandmother had been driving for better than half a century. She taught most of her children, and even some of her grandchildren how to drive. But her vision was failing. Her fender benders, propensity to run red lights, and other infractions were adding up every week.

Getting Help from Family

Like teenagers who newly receive their license, older people who have already been driving for decades often need a reminder that getting behind a wheel is a privilege, not a right. And when they learn that they are no longer allowed to drive, prepare for angst and sulking.

Maybe that’s why I could sympathize so much with my grandmother. She and I forged an unbreakable bond that summer, as I was a new driver and she needed someone to chauffer to the bank, grocery store, and meetings with her social groups.

Unfortunately a nasty fall towards the end of the summer resulted in my grandmother’s broken hip and her going to stay at a retirement home until her death a couple of years later. While that summer will always be special to me, looking back on it makes me worry about my parents.

Planning for Post-Retirement Mobility

Planning for mobility after retirement age isn’t something that people give a lot of thought to until they are faced with having to deal with the situation. The topic is not exactly popular around my parents’ dinner table – or any of my friends’ parents, either.

According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute  here are some of the options people might use when they find they are no longer healthy enough to safely operate a motor vehicle.

• Rely on family and friends to drive them
• Taking mass transit or other forms of public transportation
• Hire a personal driver to transport them to their destinations
• Call a taxi each time they need to go somewhere
• Using a mobility vehicle, such as a scooter

After my grandmother broke her hip, she could barely walk – much less drive a car! Her nurse at the retirement home suggested that we invest in a mobility scooter. Like a miniature golf cart, a mobility scooter helps those get around who cannot rely on their own two legs.

Mobile Scooters – What to Know Before Buying

But mobility scooters are not just for those with hip problems. These travel aides can also help people with COPD, arthritis, sciatic nerve damage or slipped discs, obesity, or any other medical condition that interferes with their ability to get around on their own.

Before buying a scooter, there are a lot of things that need to be considered. One of the biggest deciding factors is whether the scooter will be used indoors only or both indoors and outdoors. That is because an out scooter must be more durable in its design.

Another thing to consider is your budget. How much can you afford to spend, and are you paying on your own or with the help of some type of supplemental program, like your insurance company or Medicare?

Some people find that buying a reconditioned, previously owned scooter is a better option, especially if they only plan to use it for a short while. For example a previously owned scooter might be good for someone recovering from surgery that affects their mobility.

How a Mobility Scooter Helped Our Family

Because her sister was also a resident at the home, my grandmother’s children read reviews about Dual Seat Mobility Scooters so that the two ladies could spend lots of time together. It was the perfect choice!

The two sisters could take turns driving, and get about the retirement home with ease. It really enhanced their quality of life. Two Person Mobility Scooters provided a safe way for them to get around without running stop lights or causing fender benders.

About the Author

Freelance author Rick Mercado is a successful writer and online marketer. When he isn’t working from his home office, you can find him with his laptop at the local coffee shop where the WiFi, like the freshly brewed refills, is complimentary. During his free time Rick enjoys spending time with his wife, kayaking, and hiking around his home on Canada’s rugged east coast.