OMBUDSMAN ALERT, By Dr. Louis Alpert

 SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR ROCKLAND’S NON-DRIVING SENIOR CITIZENS

For Rockland’s Senior Citizens who either do not drive or prefer not to drive in traveling to and from their medical appointments, the Rockland Office For the Aging offers two attractive options to enable them to comfortably and economically travel around Rockland County and beyond for these purposes.

Option #1 is most suitable for the Rockland Senior whose medical visit is within the County of Rockland costing, say, a normal one-way taxi-fare of up to $10. The Rockland Senior Citizen can acquire two $7 vouchers to defray the cost of a taxi ride to and from his or hers medical visit by calling the Rockland Office For the Aging at 845-364-2110.

Option #2 which is given to the Rockland Senior Citizen when he or she calls this number and is referred to a gentleman named Robert Stefan 917-273-2366.

Robert has been working with the Office For the Aging for a number of years(in my own words) as”A Taxi-Ombudsman” who will offer “door-to-door”service to the Senior, wait until the Senior has completed his or her medical visit, and then take them back to their home.

This second option is most appropriate when the Senior has to travel a much longer distance to his or her medical visit (where the $7 vouchers-only applicable to travel within Rockland -will not significantly defray the normal taxi fare).

A good example of the use of this option #2 is as follows:

In my recent interview with Robert Stefan, he pointed out to me that several of his clients pay him a total round trip fare of $80 for their trip to New York City, where he waits for them at the Doctor’s office and brings them back home to Rockland- and this includes all tolls. Whether the individual Senior finds option#1 or option #2 more appropriate, i think these examples show how our county government does really care for the welfare of our Senior Citizens through its Office For the Aging.

Please direct all comments and questions to editor@rocklandcountytimes.com.

  ombudsman, Rockland Office For the Aging, rockland senior citizens, rockland seniors