CHATS, partner groups give York Region seniors transportation big boost with iRIDEPlus

Yorkregion.com
July 30, 2015
By Chris Traber

Seniors in northern York Region and south Simcoe County will benefit from newly launched and enhanced transportation services, Community and Home Assistance to Seniors CEO Christina Bisanz said Thursday.

The new brand, iRIDEPlus, has been launched under the auspices of Bisanz’s agency, best known as CHATS, and Circle of Care.

iRIDEPlus is funded by the Central Local Health Integration Network.

Building on the well-known transportation service for seniors that CHATS has successfully run for more than 35 years, the agency is continuing its collaboration with Routes Connecting Communities, a trusted transportation provider in Georgina for some 27 years. Routes will provide several of the iRIDEPlus drives in the local area.

CHATS has partnered with Routes and four other community agencies to serve clients throughout York Region and South Simcoe. The partners include Human Endeavour, Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care, Carefirst Seniors and Community Services and the Lance Krasman Memorial Centre for Community Mental Health. Under the new iRIDEPlus banner, professionally trained drivers and dedicated volunteers with a variety of vehicles that accommodate mobility devices will continue to serve a wide geography to offer door-to-door, assisted transportation to seniors 55 and older. As well, adults with disabilities who are not eligible for Wheel-Trans and people with mental health challenges will receive enhanced transportation services.

“iRIDEPlus builds on our experience and reputation, while expanding eligibility to more people with an even simpler way to arrange service,” Bisanz said. “The collaborative between Routes Connecting Communities in Georgina will support local seniors and will make a world of difference between isolation and independence.”

Routes is pleased to continue the longstanding partnership with CHATS under the newly branded iRIDEPlus program, Routes executive director Cathy Wilkinson said.

“When we first began working together eight years ago, it didn’t take long to realize that our organizations shared common values and standards,” she said. “We want to assure our Georgina residents that although they may see a new logo on some vehicles, the wonderful service they’ve come to rely on from Routes will not be changing. “Our extraordinary volunteer drivers will still be behind the wheel and our amazing staff will be on the other end of the telephone line.”

CHATS and Routes are excited to move into this new era of enhanced transportation services to help seniors and other adults in York Region and South Simcoe live well, age well and be well, Bisanz said.