It’s Not the Destination, it’s the Journey!

Overcoming Transportation Barriers in Rural B.C.

By Caroline MacLennan
What jeopardizes healthy aging, specifically in rural or remote areas?

In many communities across British Columbia, driving is a lifeline for older adults. For many older adults, driving is the primary form of transportation and is a critical tool to support independence, social engagement, and access to health services (Bacsu et al., 2012).

Often, later-in-life changes to physical and cognitive health or social factors prevent us from driving. Unfortunately, when our health, independence and connection rely on the ability to drive, the impact of driving cessation can be severe (Dugan & Lee, 2013). For some older adults, losing the ability to drive safely limits transportation mobility, especially in regions that lack well-developed public transportation systems in rural and remote areas.

We know from our research, and the literature generally, that without adequate public transportation options, older adults who do not drive, but wish to remain socially engaged put themselves at an increased risk of becoming socially isolated (Kotval-K, 2017). While also potentially confining themselves to activities within their immediate neighbourhood (Barnes et al., 2016).

In a Vancouver study conducted by our research team, we found that public transit not only connects older adults to their communities but also contributes meaningfully to their daily physical activity levels (Voss et al., 2016). The walking trips to and from public transit stops or stations had a tremendous impact on daily mobility for the older adult population. However, the question remains, how do we increase access to these transportation opportunities in more communities across our province?

Since no two rural communities are the same, rural transportation solutions require approaches that include context and the input of seniors (Bond et al., 2017). Greater clarity of the complex interactions between people and their travel purpose is necessary to understand transit needs within the neighbourhood and outside of the community (Barnes et al., 2016). Unfortunately, due to the costs involved in providing rural transportation, one researcher commented, “in many instances, political decision-makers are not supportive of providing transportation for non-essential purposes” (Kerschner, 2006). Ultimately, transportation providers that are cognizant of their special conditions regarding density, proximity to urban areas, and rider preferences, particularly those of older adults, will see positive outcomes (Bond et al., 2017).

A glance at community transportation in rural British Columbia:

Granisle is a remote village located in Northern British Columbia, with a population of 303 people (Stats Can, 2016). About 50 percent of people living in this little community are over the age of 65 (Stats Can, 2016). Granisle is too small to offer many core services that keep older adults active and connected. So, when we implemented our Choose to Move model (a free initiative that supports older adults to become and stay more physically active and socially connected) in Granisle, the Activity Coach, Wendy, had to be creative. How could she help the participants, some of whom did not drive, to access core services that were several kilometres away in a larger centre?

Wendy explored opportunities such as facilitating activity buddies to form walking groups within the community. She had the bright idea to organize a ‘field trip’ to the Houston Leisure Centre, a town an hour away, where Choose to Move participants could enjoy a dip in the hot-tub, laps in the swimming pool or exercise sessions in the fitness facility. The key to this field trip was not the destination itself, but rather introducing the participants to the Granisle Community Bus and the journey they enjoyed together.