Due to the
deteriorating health of the elderly, transportation becomes a hassle for all
elderly even those without any physical disabilities. The elderly who used to
drive may find themselves unable to be on the road as their reflexes may not be
up for the task of driving. Hence, elderly can only depend on public transport.
However,
public transport might not be as elderly-friendly as we thought. Not all
elderly live near the bus stops and MRT stations. This is an inconvenience for
them because they do not have the strength to walk far. Furthermore, buses or MRT stations might not
be built to include elderly-friendly facilities. For example, the steps leading
up a bus might be too steep and could be difficult for an elder to get on.
The
Singapore government acknowledges this problem and has plans to make our public
transport more elderly-friendly. By providing more seats at bus stops and MRT
stations so that elderly do not have to stand when waiting for buses and trains
as wait times can be longer at non-peak hours if elderly choose to avoid the
crowd. Adding lifts to overhead bridges is very helpful as this increases the
accessibility of bus stops for the elderly, allowing them to travel to places
via buses and the additional option of travelling to MRT stations via buses and
not have to walk.
Sources:
Book: Wachs,
Martin. 'Transportation For The Elderly: Changing Lifestyle, Changing Needs'.
United States of America: University of California Press, 1979.
Newspaper: 'Better
Public Transport Access For Elderly: Minister'. The New Paper. 17 Nov. 2014. 4.
Website: Pickut,
Walt. 'Top 10 Problems The Elderly Face With Transportation'. Livestrong.com.
11 Oct. 2015. Accessed 23 Jan 2016.
<http://www.livestrong.com/article/358682-top-ten-problems-the-elderly-face-with-transportation/>
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