Pictured, from left, KCSS Executive Director David Neff, Fran Van Doren, KCSS Transportation Supervisor Richard Bose and Sally Nelson.

KOSCIUSKO — Affordable senior transportation is crucial for maintaining independence and health. Without a reliable way to get to medical appointments or to the store to buy food and household necessities, seniors cannot realistically remain in their homes as they age.

Enter Kosciusko Community Senior Services. With three major programs, including Mobile Meals, Handicapped Van Transportation and a Senior Activity Center, seniors have access to services that assist them with their needs.

Their van transportation program assisted 247 people in 2017 with over 12,000 rides. KCSS, in collaboration with Area 2 Real Services, provides free transportation to persons 60 and older and handicapped persons in the county.  

“We ask for a donation. We don’t require it,” said KCSS Executive Director David Neff. “The standard amount we are given is around $3.That doesn’t nearly cover the cost of the ride, but that’s what we do.” 

Neff said grants from generous benefactors such as United Way, Real Services, Kosciusko Community Foundation, K21 Foundation and others make it possible to continue providing the transportation service. 

Charitable nonprofits benefit from public support and donations, and most depend on private donations in order to continue serving their communities. Most nonprofits are small, both in budget size and number of employees, so donations are always welcome.

While medical appointments are the number one priority for senior citizens, KCSS also provides rides for seniors to shop for food and household items, appointments and recreational trips for activities such as shopping for gifts for grandchildren at Christmas time.

“It’s the only way I can get to where I’m going,” said Warsaw resident Sally Nelson. “The worst thing in the world to happen to me was when I had to give up my driver’s license.”

“Health-related transportation is a huge issue in Kosciusko County,” said Neff. “We provide van service five days a week, Monday through Friday, mainly to a large group of seniors who, without our services, would probably not be able to remain in their own homes.”

According to Neff, KCSS drivers will go into homes to assist seniors with ambulatory difficulties by helping with wheelchairs, walkers and scooters. The drivers carry groceries into the homes of seniors when bringing them home after a trip to the store. KCSS currently has six drivers.

“There’s a lady in Oswego that we pick up. She’s been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, and we take her to the Cancer Care Center where she’s having radiation,” said Neff. “My driver recently because of the weather had some trouble in their driveway so we talked to her husband about it, and I think he misunderstood and thought we may not transport her anymore.”

Neff assured the man that they would continue transporting his wife to her radiation treatment appointments. 

“I told him we absolutely are going to pick her up. Unless there’s a weather catastrophe, we will pick her up,” said Neff, whose own mother passed away in 2001 from inoperable brain cancer.

“This lady is in a fight for her life, and her husband does not have a handicap accessible vehicle. She’s in a wheelchair and he can’t do it,” Neff said. “When I told him we would continue to do it, his eyes welled up with tears and he hugged me.” 

“When you see people who have no other way — especially dialysis, how crucial that is. A lot of times dialysis patients will go in and the process of dialysis weakens them greatly and they need the assistance of our drivers to get on and off the bus,” Neff explained. “A lot of them use the lifts, some of them are in wheelchairs. Some of them walk in and have to come out using a wheelchair.”

“Today really moved me when I saw how important us transporting this gentleman’s wife to Cancer Care for radiation treatments is,” said Neff. “We don’t know what the outcome will be for this lady. We’re praying for the best.”  

KCSS provides van service from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. 

Kosciusko Community Senior Services and the Senior Activity Center are located at 800 Park Avenue in Warsaw. For more information about the transportation program or the other services offered, visit their website or call (574) 267-2012.

Pictured, KCSS Transportation Supervisor Richard Bose assists Sally Nelson onto the wheelchair lift of the KCSS handicap accessible transportation van.

Fran Van Doren