The service ensures clients are receiving the routine medical care they need to age in place and maintain their current quality of life as much as possible, Jimenez said.For example, clients who are unable to visit a doctor to adjust a prescription medication that is making them dizzy could fall and injure themselves, Jimenez said.
Jimenez said other residents have expressed appreciation for the service, with one going as far as to leave tips for the drivers. The money was collected and returned.Along with rides, the service provides residents, many of whom are isolated and lonely, with a human connection, Jimenez said. They get to know the drivers and share their life stories with them.
The agency is also exploring the possibility of extending and expanding the service – something Jimenez said would likely require a mix of local, state and federal funding. “We partnered with Morgan Hill Taxi because we don’t have the bandwidth,” she said. “It would be great if we could get an additional driver or additional vehicles, and then we would do this on our own and it might offset the cost. For now, this is what we can do.”“They are good to me and my husband,” Lillian said, adding that the drivers keep a stepstool on hand to help her climb into some of the taller vehicles. “We are very thankful.
Lillian Squires, 76, of Gilroy, waits for a Sourcewise driver to pick her up for her doctors appointment at her apartment complex in Gilroy, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 24, 2022. Wish Book is a 501 nonprofit organization operated by The Mercury News. Since 1983, Wish Book has been producing series of stories during the holiday season that highlight the wishes of those in need and invite readers to help fulfill them.