Collaborating on Transportation for Older Adults Across Geographies

In October, Atlantic funded a U.S. study tour for representatives from Bermudian and Irish charitable organisations intended to expose them to creative transportation solutions for older adults. In addition to addressing transportation needs, the study tour also addressed effective strategies for building and maintaining collaborations and envisioning new approaches to engaging and serving older adults. Identifying these three common needs within the Ageing programme provided an exciting opportunity for collaborating across geographies.

The study tour focused on improving transportation for older adults in Bermuda and Ireland through two in-depth days with Portland, Maine-based Independent Transportation Network (ITN). The ITN provides a consumer-oriented, community-based senior transit system using private cars driven by volunteers.

This central site visit was followed by half-day site visits in Boston to the Multicultural Coalition on Aging (MCA) and Experience Corps. The participants involved represented The Bermuda Red Cross, Age Concern Bermuda, Project Action (Bermuda), The Salvation Army Community Care Ministries (Bermuda), Age Action Ireland, Irish Link, Flexibus Meath Accessible Transport Ltd (Ireland), and The Senior Help Line (Ireland).

The study tours closed with a group debrief session where the Bermudian and Irish organisations discussed the potential and possibilities for implementing the models presented. The Ireland Team reported the need to analyse the Irish situation in further detail in order to present to relevant stakeholders the possibility of implementing a model based on the ITN. The Bermuda Team agreed upon forming a report to present to their respective Boards for further feedback. The two groups agreed to develop an electronic newsletter designed to keep group members up-to-date on each other’s progress and to plan future meetings.