TRANSPORTATION A COMMUNITY CONVERSATION

Introduction

In 2018, a group of interested volunteers received a grant from AARP to research perceptions of residents relative to livability in Raymond, Maine. This group, Age Friendly Raymond (AFR), created a survey instrument based on the eight domains of livability created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and promoted by the AARP (8 domains). AFR circulated the survey among Raymond residents utilizing written media and local collection boxes, as well as offering on-line options via multiple Raymond organizations’ websites. Approximately 300 residents of Raymond completed the survey.

AFR reached out to Kimberly Post, Director of Community-Based Learning at Saint Joseph’s College (SJC), who connected the group to John Kenneally’s marketing research class. The class organized itself into self-managed groups that analyzed the results of the survey. Their analysis forms the basis for this report. The full survey report can be found here.

What Are the Challenges?

One important issue involved transportation, the second domain of livability. The lowest score on the survey involved the ease for a person who could not drive to find a ride to medical appointments and errands in the Raymond area. While specific to transportation, it also may have an impact on the ability to age in place and the availability of medical resources to older residents.

What is Happening in Transportation in Maine?

From volunteer driver programs to regional bus services there are a number of initiatives through out Maine. How do these apply for Raymond?

What Can We Do?

What can we do as a community to address the challenge of transportation? How do we come together to improve access to needed transportation services? What happens when a person can no longer drive?