Vancouver Reporter

Reports reveal that the COVID-19 restrictions that were imposed have had a significant impact on the Clark County senior community.

One negative result of the coronavirus pandemic is the drop in older adults using transportation assistance services.

People who are 60 years of age and older account for 56% of hospitalizations and 88% of deaths due to the coronavirus, the state Department of Health reveals.

Connie Pickering, who volunteers at the Human Services Council, spends her time driving elderly citizens to their appointments in her Nissan Leaf.

Pickering says that the ride requests fell drastically during the pandemic. She said that seniors could no longer keep their medical appointments because they didn't have a ride.

“It’s starting to pick back up, but it’s still less than it was,” Pickering told The Columbian while dropping off a senior at The Vancouver Clinic.

Jeananne Edwards, specialty transportation manager says that if residents have senior family members, it is imperative to check up on them.

“If you have somebody that you can check in on, check in on them,” Edwards told The Columbian. “We’re all feeling isolated. … Our most vulnerable people are really feeling it and they don’t have somebody to reach out to and they’re feeling really alone.”