Betty often takes a travel wheelchair with her to appointments.

Betty L. is a 90-year-old SeaTac resident who has a lot of things to worry about.  She has a bad hip and back, arthritis, poor vision, tooth pain, and heart problems.  On top of it all, she used to have the added strain of finding transportation to see the dentists, doctors, specialists, and surgeons overseeing her medical care… But not anymore!  Betty discovered Senior Services’ Volunteer Transportation program in 2005, and she has been a regular client ever since.

For Betty, Volunteer Transportation has transformed the process of getting to and from medical appointments from times of much anxiety and concern to pleasant, interactive experiences.  She says, “The program means everything to me!  It takes away all the stress I used to have with finding transportation.” 

Betty also adds, “The volunteers are all so nice!”  Some volunteer drivers have taken her all the way to Burien or Bellevue for appointments with specialists, and she describes how several volunteers were “incredibly helpful” after she’d had a cornea transplant.  Conversations with her drivers have spanned many topics, ranging from household chores and yard work to themes of a more personal nature.  She says, “One man is a singer, and we talked a lot about music.  Then, there was even one woman who had graduated from the same school as me!”  She reports that her drivers always find ways to make her feel comfortable and relaxed.

Betty admits that she is certainly not worry-free, but Volunteer Transportation has made her life considerably easier.  She exclaims, “I don’t know what I’d do without it!”  We are glad to have tackled her transportation troubles.