TRANSPORT
The Guild’s Transport Service assists eligible members to stay social and remain connected to their fellow Guild members, by providing appropriate forms of transport to Guild Club monthly meetings and annual events. Events include:
- Anzac Field of Remembrance
- Annual General Meeting
- War Widows’ Walk and Picnic, and
- Guild Annual Christmas Party.
Members who experience mobility problems, vision impairment, health issues and/or are no longer able to drive or use public transport can be assisted by the Guild. Some members may use the Guild Transport Service on a short-term basis, for example, after illness or hospitalisation.
The Guild uses a combination of community transport organisations, DVA-trained taxi drivers, and private services, depending on the needs of the individual member. Transport is door-to-door for a member contribution of $15, with drivers providing assistance where necessary with walkers and other mobility aids.
Clubs are also assisted with the organisation of their bus trips.
“The latest Census figures show more than one in three women and one in five men over the age of 65 in Australia live alone. People often think that living alone means to be alone and/or to experience loneliness. However, living alone appears to be a very limited predictor of risk of social isolation. Social isolation can be defined as the absence of relationships with family or friends. Social isolation is not an inevitable feature of later life. However, the risk of social isolation can be increased by common experiences of later life such as becoming physically frail or the deaths of family and members of one’s community network.”
COTA Victoria Working Paper No 1
