EX: P/U @ 1:00pm for 1:30pm appt. apx. 1 hour;does driver stay or leave? P/U @ 2:30pm for 3:pm drive home. Can friend/relative go with person to assist in walking to building? What if Dr. appt. goes over one hour?
Jenny, your profile says that you are caring for someone living at home. I'm assuming that whoever is doing the caregiving doesn't drive, so you are calling a cab?
In that case, someone should arrange the cab in advance and go with the patient. Talk to the cab company BEFOREHAND about the availability of getting another cab to pick up after the appointment. Alternatively, call the doctor's office and ask what cab companies they use for patients who need transport.
My mom is in a NH; we have her transported by ambulette to any appointments (very rare) that she has. I meet her there; they send an aide to assist with wheelchair and bathroom. The ambulette drops her and we call when the appointment is over.
Jenny, sorry no one has answered your question. We really need more information. Example, who is the driver? A relative, friend, or private hire?
If this is a private hire, it would be very expensive to have the taxi cab sit and wait. One never knows when going to a doctor appointment if the doctor is running on schedule or behind schedule.... thus it is better to wait until the end of the appointment and call for a cab. Yes, I realize it could be 15-20 minutes wait for the cab to arrive, but there isn't much one can do about that.
In our experience with assisted living, the driver gets you to the appointment on time, does not assist, does not wait. Then you call for pick up and that means waiting two hours to actually get picked up. So, we would meet mom at the doctor's office, stay with her for the appointment and take her back.
I made some calls a year or so ago to various private transport companies as well as the public transport agency which provides point to point service.
The former will wait, BUT they charge you for that waiting time, and the cost quickly adds up. I calculated that I would need to spend about $100 just to get transportation for cataract surgery.
On the other hand, the local public transit company charged $1.00 each way, would drop me off anywhere within a 10 mile radius of my home and would return at an approximate time without having been called. The limitation is obviously the 10 mile radius.
In that case, someone should arrange the cab in advance and go with the patient. Talk to the cab company BEFOREHAND about the availability of getting another cab to pick up after the appointment. Alternatively, call the doctor's office and ask what cab companies they use for patients who need transport.
My mom is in a NH; we have her transported by ambulette to any appointments (very rare) that she has. I meet her there; they send an aide to assist with wheelchair and bathroom. The ambulette drops her and we call when the appointment is over.
If this is a private hire, it would be very expensive to have the taxi cab sit and wait. One never knows when going to a doctor appointment if the doctor is running on schedule or behind schedule.... thus it is better to wait until the end of the appointment and call for a cab. Yes, I realize it could be 15-20 minutes wait for the cab to arrive, but there isn't much one can do about that.
The former will wait, BUT they charge you for that waiting time, and the cost quickly adds up. I calculated that I would need to spend about $100 just to get transportation for cataract surgery.
On the other hand, the local public transit company charged $1.00 each way, would drop me off anywhere within a 10 mile radius of my home and would return at an approximate time without having been called. The limitation is obviously the 10 mile radius.
So it pays to shop around.