VIA I BY THE WAY I WINTER 2015
Via Board of Directors
............................................... Wendy Reynolds, President Branch President, Summit Bank & Trust
Peter Powers, Vice President Director of Business Development Longmont United Hospital
Frank Latino, Jr. CPA, Treasurer Owner, Latino & Associates
B. Scot Smith, Secretary Founder and Principal, The Colorado Group
Frank Bruno, Past President CEO, Western Disposal
Marie Gambon, Member-at-Large VP for People, Boulder Brands, Inc.
Rick Accountius,
Software Engineer, AT&T
Kreighton Bieger, Don Brown,
Partner, Kilter Howling, LLC
President, Optimal Blue
Scott R. Gresser,
VP/CFO TRU Community Care
Suzanne Hoover,
Career Volunteer
Micki Kaplan,
Sustainable Transportation Planner
Lenna Kottke,
Executive Director, Via
Nick Molliconi,
Director of Decision Support & Payer Relations, Boulder Community Health
Sharon Svendsen,
Attorney
Steven Thweatt,
Vice Chancellor for Administration, University of Colorado-Boulder
VIA I BY THE WAY I SUMMER 2013
2014 Impact By the Numbers
2,729
Riders served in the paratransit program
111
Travel Training How to Decide if It’s the Way to Go A decision-making guide for parents, caregivers and advocates of adults with intellectual disabilities © 2015 Authors: Barb Borg, MA/OTR and Susan Unger, MA
Individuals served in the 1:1 travel training program
1,713 Individuals received new rider intake or information and referral services
662
Mobility options/travel plans developed
121,524
The decision to enroll an adult child with intellectual disabilities in a travel training program may not be easy for many parents, caregivers and advocates. Travel training proponents espouse the enormous benefits to individuals with disabilities participating in a travel instruction program and learning how to use public transit as a step to achieve dreams and goals of independence. Yet many parents of adult children with disabilities may be uneasy about letting their son or daughter pursue travel training.
Perspectives 1. Key components of travel training and who is a good travel training candidate.
2. The many roles held by parents and caregivers of individuals with disabilities, and how juggling those roles can be complicated. 3. Insights into the thoughts and feelings parents have as they consider the possibility of their adult son or daughter using public transportation. individual situation. For more information on how to obtain this helpful resource, contact Susan Unger, Via Travel Training Coordinator, at 303-447-2848 ext. 1048.
Mary Cobb, Editor ...............................................
Connect TEL 303-447-2848 FAX 303-447-0686 E-MAIL info@viacolorado.org www.viacolorado.org facebook.com/viacolorado twitter.com/viacolorado
120,519 on-demand paratransit trips completed
12,179
Trips for people experiencing homelessness to access safe shelter
Why do you love Via? How does Via make a difference in your life? Send a letter or email with your thoughts and comments to Via Mobility Services, c/o Carolyn Jannsen, 2855 63rd Street, Boulder, CO 80301 or cjannsen@viacolorado.org. We would love to hear from you!
ensure a safe and reassuring experience. A recent email from rider Ann brought home the importance of this element of care and compassion and the fact that getting from one place to another is not always so simple.
“This morning I forgot where my bone density exam was, in fact I forgot it completely. Your driver helped me when we ended up in the wrong place – he knew just what to do when we realized we were off course. I fell apart out of frustration, but your driver was so calm and helpful that it made a huge difference. I can straighten out the appointment, and redo the exam, no problem, but I don’t know if I could have handled it without the kindness of the drivers and staff at Via.” Aging is not a choice. But we do have choices about how we cope with the changes aging brings. Via is here to help make those choices easier and to ensure that aging in place remains a possibility for those who strive to
to maintain and strengthen relationships with those we care about. We want to continue to make a contribution to the causes that give meaning to our lives.
Emotional support provided by a parent or caregiver for participation in a travel training program is one key indicator for a successful travel training experience. This easy-to-read booklet is designed to help families, caregivers and advocates to understand:
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How do we envision our own future as older adults? We want to remain independent, vital, contributing members of our communities. We want to stay healthy. We want
4. Guidance on making the best decision for each
Trip scheduling phone calls answered in Call Center
Newsletter Credits
In a letter he wrote in 1789, Benjamin Franklin penned these famous lines, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Yet, if fortunate, we all face the certainty of aging as well. It is a universal human experience, bringing with it challenges and opportunities for growth.
Via’s travel training program is available to older adults (age 60+), people with disabilities and others living with mobility limitations who reside in the metro-Denver region and who live within the RTD public transit system. Contact Susan Unger, Via’s Travel Training Coordinator at 303-447-2848 ext. 1048 or sunger@viacolorado.org for more information.
For many people, that means remaining in our own homes and communities – “aging in place” – with the ability to travel when and where we want to access services and to maintain our connections. However, as life expectancy continues to be extended, many of us will face the reality of outliving our ability to drive. Accidents or illness at any age can bring about disability that makes driving inadvisable or even impossible. Giving up the car keys does not have to mean isolation and disconnection. Rather, it means a shift in our thinking about how we get around. At Via, we help people understand and access all the mobility options that may be available to them, wherever someone may be along the aging continuum. For those needing extra help, Via’s door-through-door transportation program works to
maintain independence while dealing with the challenges of diminished mobility. While policymakers and planners struggle to determine essential infrastructure components needed to retrofit communities where we may all age in place, we at Via know that kindness and compassion must be part of the mix.
Executive Director
United Way Day of Caring 2014 NEWS L E T T E R
I
W I N T E R 201 5
Mobility is not just part of a day, it is a part of life. Someone you know needs Via.
United Way Day of Caring 2014: On a chilly September morning seven volunteers from Partical Measuring Systems donated their time to re-mulch the garden beds around Via’s facility. The resident toad showed up to help.
To our individual donors, our corporate and foundation partners and to our local government funders ♥ Your contributions accumulate into something more than just financial gifts. Together, they power the best gift of all—the truly remarkable experience of mobility for life. So thank you, thank you, thank you.
Longmont Community Forum You are invited! Vulnerability. Mobility. Self-Sufficiency: A social and economic issue for the Longmont community.
Transportation is a significant issue in Longmont and a lack of options disproportionately affects vulnerable populations such as the poor, the elderly, and people who have disabilities by limiting access to jobs, health care, social interaction and healthy living.
When: Thursday March 5, 2015, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Where: Xilinx, 1951 South Fordham Street, Longmont, CO Cost: Free
This community forum features representatives from health care, local government, Via riders, and community leaders and is intended to initiate community discussion and collective problem-solving regarding the economic and psycho-social costs of limited mobility for vulnerable populations.
Sponsored by: Via, Longmont United Hospital and the Longmont Community Foundation
Light refreshments served. For more information call 303-473-2882.
Someone you know will need Via in the coming years.
Your contribution makes a di�erence. Give today.
Via is a private, nonpro�t organization. www.viacolorado.org/donate
Why I Support Via “I am fortunate to work for a company that encourages employees to genuinely engage with nonprofit organizations that support our local community. Through Via’s values of addressing wellness and creating a better community, Via closely aligns with our company values, and my own personal beliefs. When I was four years old, my father contracted polio. Throughout my childhood, I watched him struggle to walk with crutches and the daily challenge of mobility. Despite his limitations, or perhaps because of them, it was difficult for him to ask for help. Unfortunately, my home town didn’t have a service like Via to help him get to work or personal appointments. When I moved to Boulder later in my life and learned of Via (then Special Transit), I immediately recognized how this resource could have enhanced my Dad’s quality of life.
I had a chance to observe Via’s benefits first hand when my mother needed Via’s help in her later years. Mom was already using a wheelchair, so Via quickly became part of her life. Via’s friendly drivers took her everywhere and she was able to remain connected to the wider community and maintain her independence. Via also gave me and my family peace of mind knowing that she had caring, reliable and safe transportation. Via allows seniors to stay in their homes and live full lives. It’s also an important resource for employees who have disabilities, and for our local health and wellness businesses. I’m honored to serve on Via’s board of directors and have an opportunity to support this important service.” Marie Gambon Vice President for People Boulder Brands