New One Click/One Call Center and RideNoCo to help Weld County seniors get rides simply

The number-one reason seniors lose their independence is difficulty finding a ride, according to 60+ Ride. Courtesy photo.

By Dan England 

The danger of falling and not being able to get up is actually not the number-one reason seniors lose their independence.

It’s finding a ride, said Janet Bedingfield, executive director of 60+ Ride & 60+ Grocery of Weld County, the former Senior Resource Services.

“It’s extremely difficult,” she said. “Housing is up there too, but even if you have a house, you still need to get to the doctor or the grocery store or the bank.”

She’s excited about the potential behind the One Click/One Call Center program formed by the North Front Range Metropolitan Organization, which serves Larimer and Weld counties. The program will eventually be a one-stop shop for identifying, booking and paying for transportation. It’s basically one number for seniors to call to find those elusive rides.

There’s a website, too, but that’s part of the problem for seniors: Some programs that provide rides have information digitally, but that’s difficult for seniors to access, Bedingfield said.

“People who need those services the most are less likely to have a smartphone or laptop,” she said. “The ones who need it the most are the ones who feel the most overwhelmed.”

RideNoCo, which will also serve those with disabilities, should be ready by the end of July, but it’s already sort of in operation as the service worked to connect seniors to vaccinations. The website will be up and running by the start date, with a guide to transportation in Larimer and Weld counties, and can be edited as fast as COVID-19 regulations change. But there’s also a phone number staffed by people who can help seniors figure out how to get a ride. That is free, although the transportation servicer may charge for the ride, said Cory Schmitt, mobility manager for the organization.

Schmitt said the organization is already working with a few volunteer services, and he hopes to add more by the hard opening.

“Their drivers know how to work with the population that we are serving,” he said.

The single number should simplify the process, Bedingfield said, which makes it easier to market it and allow seniors to become and stay independent.

“All we have to do is say here’s a number, and all they know is they get a ride, then they are taken care of,” she said.

This story has been updated.