NFCS offers wheelchair-accessible transportation

Jan 19, 2012

Photo: Jeannine Albert of Plevna in the new retrofitted NFCS van, which can now offer subsidized wheelchair accessible transportation to clients in central and north Frontenac. Courtesy of Catherine Tysick

For those in need of wheelchair-accessible transportation, Northern Frontenac Community Services (NFCS) can help. With their recent acquisition of a 2001 retrofitted Chevy Venture van in October 2011, the organization for the first time ever is able to offer their clients in Central and North Frontenac subsidized wheelchair-accessible transportation. Clients now will be able to arrange transportation to medical and other appointments.

The benefit to clients is huge, since prior to the purchase clients needing such transportation had to rely on private transportation services provided either through Lanark County or the City of Kingston, which due to the long distances involved could be quite expensive. Clients now can receive the service at a reduced fee due to having a vehicle in the area.

Catherine Tysick, the community support manager at NFCS, is currently the only driver qualified to drive the van and she has been trained in the methods of properly securing different types of chairs into the van. To date the van has made four trips, three for a client in Plevna attending medical appointments at Hotel Dieu hospital in Kingston, and the fourth for a client in Westport needing to attend a medical appointment in Sharbot Lake.

While Catherine says that NFCS at this point has not been inundated with requests for the service, she also said that the number of calls for the service are increasing. “Though some people may be able to afford this service from other private area service providers, many cannot, so this is another important service that we can offer our clients, which enables them to stay in their homes longer by allowing them to access the services they need. We just got a call recently, for example, from someone looking for respite services but who requires wheelchair-accessible transportation to get them there. We are also hoping to be able to train the client’s personal support worker, who will then be able to provide the necessary transportation.”

Tysick said that the safe transfer of clients in wheelchairs can often be what is preventing clients from making even just short local trips to area services. “Transferring is what can be difficult, and is often when dangerous falls can occur, so to be able to offer our clients this service is an important and also very wonderful thing.” Catherine is looking for volunteer drivers interested in taking the necessary training course needed to qualify them to drive the van. Anyone interested can call Catherine Tysick at NFCS at 613-279-3151.