Attending: Tips for Finding Transportation to Church, Synagogue, Mosque or Other House of Worship.
Millions of people find joy
and community in weekly attendance at a religious worship service. One of the
drawbacks of America’s car-centric infrastructure is that transportation
becomes a barrier when a person cannot drive themselves or afford a car. It contributes
to increased isolation and loneliness, especially if they can no longer attend
religious services. Sadly, that is the plight of many seniors and handicapped
individuals.
This is a problem healthcare professionals and
caregivers can help solve. With just a bit of effort they may be able to help
locate transportation. Finding a place of worship that offers their own
transport services is ideal because they will ensure on-time arrival on the
most relevant days.
Many places of worship offer transportation
services on significant worship days.
Thankfully, many places of worship offer
transportation services on significant worship days. Check with the person’s
preferred place of worship to see if they offer van rides to patrons. If not, a
conversation with the leadership may result in finding a volunteer who is
willing to offer transportation.
At one church I attended, there was a blind woman
who needed transportation. Various church members took turns providing rides to
get her to church on Wednesdays and weekends. Sharing the task ensured she
always had a ride without overburdening one person.
Switch to a different place of worship that
includes this service.
If a person's current place of worship cannot
accommodate them, they may need to switch to a different location that includes
this service. Begin the search for a local place that offers transportation
services. Large worship communities are most likely to offer this service and
frequently the transport is free. If no local options are available, consider
broadening the search to neighboring communities or towns.
A call to a local senior community center is
usually a good resource. They may be familiar with local options. The chaplain
at a medical facility may also be familiar with local places of worship that
offer transportation. If neither of these options work, an Internet search may
be fruitful. If that does not produce results, then the search will require
calling local places of worship to ask each one what they offer. Clergy are
often familiar with other places of worship in their town and may be best
prepared to help locate a suitable congregation.
Paratransit services in the person's community
may be useful.
Another option is to inquire if a local senior or
handicap transport service, sometimes called paratransit, can provide the
service when needed. In some places, paratransit services have limited hours on
weekends. A case manager may be a good resource to learn about local services.
Alternatively, an internet search for paratransit services in the person's
community may be useful. These services may not be available in rural areas.
Another option is to use an app-based ride
share or taxi service.
A third option is to use an app-based ride share
or taxi service. Taxi services often operate via phone call and may be more
user friendly for seniors. App-based ride share services like Uber can be
excellent for this purpose also. One barrier to use is technology. They require
competence with a smart phone to order. However, they can be ordered remotely
by a family member. The below link provides instructions on ordering an Uber
for someone else. Most ride-share companies offer this feature. (Request
a Ride for Someone Else | Uber Rider App) These services may also be lacking in rural communities.
Some may worry about the cost of these services.
They will certainly cost more than other options mentioned above. However, if
they are only used once a week for worship attendance the cost may be
manageable. Many seniors prefer to only attend worship services one or two
times per month. So that can also help keep costs down.
A clergy person may be willing to hold a
service for patients in a facility.
A final solution can be to find a worship service
option that requires no transportation. Many long-term care and senior living
facilities have weekly worship services on-site. Sometimes residents are
unaware of these services. If the facility has no services, or they are not of
the appropriate religion, it may be possible to find a clergy person in town
who would be willing to start holding a service at that facility.
Some religious communities offer visitation to
the homebound.
For those that are homebound, it may be more
appropriate to bring a service to their home rather than transport them to a
place of worship. Some religious communities offer visitation to the homebound.
Some Christian groups call this shut-in ministry. In Judaism this is called
bikur cholim or bikkur holim. In Islam, it is called iyadah. The point is that
nearly all religious traditions offer this service.
Finding a solution to this problem of worship
service attendance is often simple but sometimes may require significant
legwork. The case manager or occupational therapist may be helpful in this
regard. A chaplain may also assist. Sharing the work between multiple people
can help reduce the burden on any one individual. Additionally, educating the
patient on self-advocacy can help them take the initiative to find the
transportation that they need. Sometimes a call from the person to the clergy
directly can work miracles. You never know until you try.
By David F. Garner OTR/L, AC
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