Introducing Bella Dinh-Zarr

Dr. Dinh-Zarr discusses transportation and quality of life as we age

ITNAmerica is honored to present T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, PhD, MPH as the newest member of our board of directors. Bella is a public health and transportation scientist, serving as North American Director of the Make Roads Safe Campaign for Global Road Safety and Director of Road Safety for the FIA Foundation, an international non-profit organization based in London.

"In public health, we talk about quality of life and how to age in a way that is good for our health and community. The ITN model is a sustainable, very dignified, innovative way to help older people do that," Bella said.

When asked why she is so passionate about senior mobility, Bella gave two reasons: "First, it is absolutely the right thing to do for our communities. Any society that is progressive and cares about its citizens would do this."

She called the second reason "selfish." "My mother is in her seventies and when she visits, or wherever she is, I want her to be able to get around. I'm in my thirties and I'm looking ahead. I want to have a good system like ITN everywhere so I can have the freedom to live and go wherever I want and continue to be an active member of the community even when I no longer drive."

We would all like to say we will be able to drive forever, but studies show that at some point assistance will be needed, and we must work now to ensure options will be available. "I like the idea of dignified transportation," Bella said. "It resonates with older people. They don't want a handout. They want independence. I have an older friend in D.C. who is a former diplomat. He doesn't want me to have to drive him if we have a lunch date. He wants to meet me somewhere."

Everyone should prepare as far in advance as possible for their mobility needs, and examine all possibilities. It is a fact of life that we will need mobility if we want a good quality of life as we age. "ITN is a solution to that," said Bella, who is also a big fan of public transportation. She walks and takes the train everyday, and she doesn't own a car.

"I view public transportation and ITN as wonderfully complementary. Public transportation isn't able to go everywhere. ITN fills that hole, and we should have choices and be able to get around in different ways. Many people as they age prefer a private vehicle. So having both systems is the wave of the future. We should have it all in a truly vibrant and productive community."

When she needs a car, Bella uses Zipcar. Belonging to a car club is good for the pocketbook because cost is essentially spread out over all the drivers, and you can use the car at will rather than owning it.

Bella is also enthusiastic about ITN's CarTrade™ program. Trading cars for rides is "a very environmentally friendly concept," she said. "It keeps cars in use in a sustainable way."

Bella is due to have her first baby in September and her husband is a pediatrician. In their professions, they run the gamut from babies to older people. Having her first child makes Bella think about the future more. "When I am aging, I don't want to be a burden. Part of the love parents have is that they want to be able to do things independently, and everyone should have that ability and right."

As the population in the U.S. ages, seniors are in the news more and more, so mobility should be moving forward in the national conscience. "We must make sure people realize that sustainable and efficient transportation is an integral part of the public health of our nation. People think of their health as important, but don't think of being able to get around as an important part of being healthy," Bella said.

"It is good to be far-sighted. While older people can still drive, it is important for them to experience an alternative like ITN so there isn't a sudden change that feels threatening. Having options makes the transition less scary," Bella said.

People plan for medical emergencies, but they often don't plan for their mobility needs if they must stop or limit driving. "ITN is helping put the focus on mobility as an integral part of healthy aging. The public health and medical communities are becoming more aware too," Bella said.

Beacon Hill Village pays a visit

On May 27, four representatives from Beacon Hill Village (BHV) visited our offices in Westbrook, Maine, to learn how communities across the country are replicating the ITN model. At the same time, we were eager to learn how BHV handles transportation issues, and how we might work together to meet the needs of older adults in central Boston. The synergy was great as comments flew back and forth, and we ditched the Power Point presentation to go with the flow of questions that filled four hours and left us eager to meet again.

BHV is an innovative nonprofit that serves people 50 and older who want to live healthy and meaningful lives in their own homes and communities, without relying on friends and family. Serving Beacon Hill, Back Bay and the West End neighborhoods of Boston, BHV is best described as a virtual retirement community. Rather than moving, older adults can stay in their homes and have the services come to them.

Their current membership stands at 450 individuals at a cost of $580 per year, $850 for a household. A reduced rate is available to people with lower incomes. Their oldest member is 99, and the youngest 53.

Founded by community members in 2002, BHV provides a vast array of services, including transportation, through partnerships with proven providers. "We will do literally anything you want, and there is no duplication of providers because we use what is out there. We are a consolidator of services," said Judith Willett, Executive Director of BHV. "We provide recommendations and let members make choices."

BHV services can be summarized as:

• An all-encompassing concierge and information referral service, with 10-50% discounts to BHV members on household tasks and services, from electricians, plumbers, massage therapists, dog walkers – you name it.
• Assistance in living (more traditional homecare services), and
• Community-building programs: wellness options, social and cultural events, educational seminars, movies, sailing, ski trips...

With all these offerings, "Transportation is the biggest service we provide," Willett said. "It is the number one thing people request."

"It is not surprising," said Katherine Freund, founder of the Independent Transportation Network®. "Transportation needs for the aging population are just everywhere, even in a transportation-rich community like Boston."

BHV provides transportation using a combination of paid and volunteer drivers. Grocery shopping once a week and doctor-prescribed rides are included in the price of membership. BHV also

• offers discounted limo and taxi services for members.
• They distribute half-price taxi coupons subsidized by the City, so that members do not have to go to City Hall to get them, and
• BHV has a special relationship with taxi companies that allow members to schedule rides in advance, something individuals can't do in Boston.

They currently provide about 50 trips per week. "But the cost of providing transportation to our organization is high. It is very time consuming and staff intensive," said Willett.

"BHV is like a small program with a really big concept that people love and want in their own neighborhood," said Willett. Their office is fielding a constant stream of inquiries – 3,000 last year alone, from people all over the world who are interested in replicating their model, and they are selling "The Village Concept: A Founder's Manual" like hotcakes.

The similarities between ITN and BHV are many. BHV deals with transportation every day, and ITN deals with aging in place every day. ITN helps people stay in the homes and communities they love because with the right transportation, people can still take care of their basic needs – shopping and getting to the doctor, as well as fun trips that add meaning and joy to our lives: like visiting friends and family, and going to the theater.

Both grassroots organizations help older adults avoid dependence on adult children and friends. Both focus on the dignity of their members, and both offer free consumer choice, with assistance for lower income people.

"Beacon Hill Village and ITN are complimentary. I adore grassroots efforts, and I was charmed by and respect their sincerity and openness," said Freund. "There are so many similarities and so much room for growth and collaboration. We are both working for the same cause – to enhance quality of life as we age, and to do it with dignity and independence."

President of the BHV board Stephen Roop said, "Beacon Hill Village members have a continuing need for transportation of all kinds. During our meeting I could see great potential for an ITN affiliate in Boston. And I could see the value of such an affiliate for so many groups and individuals in Boston beyond Beacon Hill Village. The Village and ITN will continue to work together to explore the many issues creating such an affiliate would involve. This includes identifying and involving others in any proposed Boston service area in the necessary planning. It would be a lot of hard work, but the prospects are very exciting."

If you are interested in helping establish an ITN in cental Boston, or in your community, please contact Sonya Richard at ITNAmerica, (207) 591-6936, or you can reach the Beacon Hill Village at (617) 723-9713.

ITNOrlando's first volunteer made a difference

From Tom Porter, Executive Director, ITNOrlando

Ann Nicolson was the first ITNOrlando volunteer to drive for us, even if it was just "pretend." One of the local news shows did a story about us and Ann drove for the television camera weeks before we gave our first "real" ride. Over one hundred times since then, Ann got into her car, picked up a customer and drove them to their destination. Ann, like all of our volunteers, was a very generous person.

One of Ann's first riders was Eleanor Irvine. They discovered they had a lot in common and quickly became good friends. Ann would drive them to lunch, to look at the newest stores and restaurants that had recently opened and to evening social outings. On the news clip, Ann said that she liked to drive and mentioned that she wanted to ensure she had a place in someone's car when she could no longer drive. That place was in my car on January 11, 2008, sooner than any of us expected and it was from a hospital to Ann's temporary home in a Winter Park rehabilitation center. Ann passed away on Thursday, January 31, 2008.

The following Monday, I picked up Eleanor Irvine and we drove to the memorial service. I was not surprised when several of Ann's lifelong friends and family members noted her many interests, her sense of humor and her zest for living. I was not surprised when they recounted the many ways that she helped others and generously gave of herself. And I was not surprised when Ann's daughter Lucy told me she learned generosity from her mom and directed that the mileage credits Ann earned go to Eleanor and that Ann's car go to ITN.

It's sad knowing that I will no longer talk to Ann or see her smiling face at our volunteer celebrations. I'm sure that those of you who knew her will miss her, too. I hope that Ann's family (and I believe Ann) will take comfort in knowing that she is still giving generously to our customers and still providing rides to Eleanor Irvine.

Welcome to ITNChicago

In early 2006, Joyce Gallagher, Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Senior Services, read an article in the Chicago Tribune entitled, "Program Lets Seniors Trade Cars for Rides." The article described a nonprofit that started in Maine, the Independent Transportation Network®, that encourages seniors who can no longer drive safely to trade their cars for rides.

After learning about the program's success, Gallagher wanted to initiate it in Chicago. Gallagher contacted Mayor Richard M. Daley about this alternative transportation initiative due to his commitment to innovative and effective senior programming. In multiple written correspondences, Mayor Daley responded positively to the Commissioner's request to start an ITN affiliate in Chicago, giving her the "go-ahead" to seek admittance in ITNAmerica's second group of cities to replicate the model.

Although Chicago has a number of transportation options, it lacked a dignified yet reliable transportation system that met seniors' individualized needs. Gallagher stated, "Because age-related changes can compromise driver safety, many seniors need to limit or stop driving. This program will link seniors to a reliable transportation program, while keeping them safe, active and independent."

ITNAmerica founder, Katherine Freund, visited Chicago to meet the Commissioner and to better understand how ITNAmerica could work with the Mayor's office to start an ITN affiliate. She immediately noted that the city's high density and limited parking availability would pose a challenge to operating a dignified transportation service for seniors. However, Freund liked Chicago because success in the big city would illustrate the model's capacity for replication among a wider range of locations.

ITNAmerica requires affiliate communities to raise the recommended $125,000 for start-up costs for the first year of planning. This important year takes an affiliate through the capital planning necessary for sustainability, membership, fleet and volunteer recruitment, and staff and office set-up. Gallagher immediately began identifying resources. Even though she realized that ITN is designed to be sustainable in 5 years through fares from the people who use the service and voluntary, private community support, she believed that public funding was a great place to start.

She contacted Tim Mitchell, former head of the Illinois Department of Transportation, to request funding for this program that would encourage seniors to trade in their cars and receive rides 24 hours a day/seven days a week for any purpose within the service area. After convincing him of the program's community value and sustainability, Mitchell agreed to allocate the total amount of $125,000 for start-up expenses. The Commissioner is committed to helping ITNChicago raise the private matching funds necessary for sustainability.

By the end of 2006, ITNAmerica had selected Chicago to join its second learning cluster. Chicago immediately began forming its not-for-profit organization with a high-profile board of directors. The board includes professionals from such fields as aging, disabilities, finance, insurance, legal counsel, medicine, media and transportation. For a large city like Chicago, this effort required support from the City Council, a step Commissioner Gallagher did not hesitate to take. In the beginning of April 2008, the board signed an affiliate agreement that made ITNChicago an official affiliate.

ITNChicago has worked closely with ITNAmerica to select the northwest side of Chicago as its initial service area. ITNAmerica recommended the community due to its unwavering interest in the ITN and its commitment to help recruit volunteer drivers to participate in this innovative solution.

The city of Chicago is excited about the opportunity to support its senior transportation needs. ITNChicago seeks sponsorships, vehicle donations, members and volunteers. If you are interested in participating in this initiative, please contact 312-742-3297.

Two Worlds Come Together... Again!

By Andrew Wolk, Founder & CEO, Root Cause

It was late 2004 when I first met Katherine Freund in a restaurant in Kenmore Square across the street from Fenway Park. At the time, Root Cause was a two person consulting practice and Katherine was looking to hire a business planner. Since then Root Cause has helped support the planning and implementation of ITNAmerica in multiple ways and grown quite a bit while doing so.

We recently met up in Washington, D.C., where Katherine sat on a panel at the Aspen Institute to share the story of ITN®, but more importantly its impact on and interconnection with public policy.

For example, Connecticut State Senator John Kissel recently praised ITNNorthCentralConnecticut for bringing to his attention a law that required volunteers to have livery licenses. With the help of Kissel, and Senators Jonathan Harris and Donald DeFronzo, this requirement was lifted as well as obstacles regarding insurance coverage for volunteer drivers. Other recent legislative changes connected to the work of ITN have taken place in Kentucky and Florida.

The panel at the Aspen Institute was set up to discuss the release of my publication, "Advancing Social Entrepreneurship: Recommendations for Policymakers and Government Officials". The report explores how government leaders can address major community challenges through partnerships with entrepreneurs. It introduces the concept of social entrepreneurship as a new and accelerated way to address old problems.

ITNAmerica is cited in the Root Cause report as an example of a social-entrepreneurial initiative. Freund is quoted as saying, "Most of the resources for transportation are private. If you don't have a model that is built to access them, then you'll fall into the pattern on being one of many providers in a turf war over the public dollars." The ITNAmerica model relies on community support and innovative payment programs, such as CarTrade™, Transportation Social Security™, the Road Scholarship Program™, gift certificates, and more.

On the panel with Katherine was the Lt. Governor from Louisiana, Mitch Landrieu, founder of the nation's first Office of Social Entrepreneurship, as well as representatives from leading D.C. think tanks: The Center for American Progress and The American Enterprise Institute.

The connection between innovative, sustainable models for social impact and government has begun to catch on in states like Louisiana, Virginia, and Texas as well as among our presidential candidates...but oftentimes the usual names are mentioned like College Summit, City Year, and Kaboom. That day in Washington the story of ITN was a breath of fresh of air for everyone...and now Louisiana wants an ITN!

ITNAmerica and Root Cause have experienced significant growth since we met in Boston. It was wonderful to see our two worlds come together again...in a different context, one that may have a transformative impact on the way government looks at social problem solving for decades to come.

Changing the world one ride at a time

Google Maps Terms of Use

We are very happy to announce the launch of eleven newly designed websites. The ten affiliate sites are easily accessible from ITNAmerica's national website.

The sites include very different stories about how all these grassroots efforts got started, from Orlando to San Diego and communities in between. The common thread is the desire to help people be mobile throughout their lives, not just until they age.

In addition to the ITN sites, we have joined forces with our partner Liberty Mutual to support safe mobility with resources for seniors and their families at http://www.libertymutual.com/seniordriving. Here you will find tips for mature drivers on how to stay safe on the road and how to make adjustments to their driving habits. It also offers guidance to adult children on how to address transportation concerns and solutions with their aging parents.

Websites are just one of the benefits that ITNAmerica provides its affiliate communities. Because senior mobility is a complex problem, we offer many means of support, including a customized software program to manage logistics and resources, communication and marketing materials, training, financial consultation, ongoing support, and a national network that grants reciprocity among affiliates. So if you belong to ITNChicago but spend the winter in Florida, you can use the service in Orlando, for example. Or if your parents live in San Diego, you can send them your volunteer credits from rides you give in Portland, Maine.

Please visit the ITNAmerica website often, especially if you are interested in bringing the ITN solution to your community. Next month we will plant another push pin in Florida, where the need for our service is growing as gas prices increase and economic turns affect the older population disproportionately. With 40 affiliates expected by 2010, ITN is quickly linking cities and citizens across the country. Please contact us to start an ITN affiliate in your community, and change the world, one ride at a time.