Staying Connected: How Volunteer Drivers Are Helping Seniors Age in Place in the West Kootenays
Audrey moved to Castlegar, BC, in 1970 when her husband was hired to teach at the local college. “I told my husband, ‘I’m not staying here very long,’” she laughs. That was 55 years ago.
Since then, Audrey has become a cornerstone of the community—teaching at Selkirk College, serving 20 years on City Council, 17 as the Mayor of Castlegar, and volunteering with organizations like the Castlegar & District Public Library.
Now nearing 98, Audrey remains socially active. “I used to play bridge every week,” she recalls. “My bridge partners were younger than me, but they aged faster!” Though she misses the games, she still enjoys time with friends.
Like many seniors, Audrey faces transportation challenges. “I gave up my car about a year ago,” she says. Aging in place is common in Castlegar, but without accessible transit options, maintaining independence can be difficult.
Audrey is fortunate to have help. “My daughter lives here,” she says. “She does my grocery shopping and helps with paperwork… but she has a life too.” While she has a small support network, Audrey tries not to overburden her loved ones. “I try not to overwork or over-need anybody.”
“When we’re young adults, we can’t wait to learn how to drive,” says Michelle Postnikoff of Castlegar Community Services. “We get our own car, and we are able to get up and go where we want when we want. We take it for granted. Then we age and someone comes along and tells you that you can’t drive anymore…..now you have to rely on other people.”
Why Transportation Matters
Transportation remains a major barrier for seniors in BC’s smaller communities. “I would say the biggest barrier is distance,” says Michelle. “We live in this very unique trifecta—Nelson Hospital does one thing, Castlegar Hospital another, and Trail Hospital something else. They try not to duplicate services, so depending on the appointment, you might have to travel to a specific hospital, even if it’s not the closest one.”
HandyDART serves individual towns but not the areas between them. Some areas do not have taxis because their population isn’t large enough to support the service. BC Transit, while available, runs infrequently—typically only a few times a day. “It’s not like in the city where you can wait five minutes for a bus. Here, you might have four buses a day. That’s it.” A short medical appointment can become an all-day trip. “And for seniors with health concerns, that’s exhausting.”
Some seniors are told to move closer to care. “But they don’t want to leave,” Michelle emphasizes. “Especially in the valley areas—this is where they’ve built their lives. Being told to move because of transportation gaps is not only frustrating, it’s heartbreaking.”
Another significant transportation barrier is cost. “I don’t think seniors should have to pay for public transportation at all,” says Michelle.
A Lifeline for Aging in Place
That’s where the West Kootenay Volunteer Driver Program comes in.
Launched in 2006, the program, provided by Castlegar Community Services, offers non-emergency transportation across the West Kootenay and Boundary regions, helping seniors get to medical, social, and wellness-related appointments.
“Originally, it was just about getting people to medical appointments,” says Michelle, the Program’s Coordinator. “But the COVID-19 pandemic taught us a lot—especially about how socially isolated seniors were and still are.”
The need for broader support became even more evident in recent years.
A 2022 report found that 22% of adults 55+ feared a lack of transportation might force them to leave their communities—disrupting vital social ties. Many want to age in place, but without accessible transportation, even basic errands become major challenges.
2024 marked a turning point thanks to funding from United Way BC’s Aging in Motion (AIM): Transportation Supports & Innovation program that supports local and regional transportation services that help older adults live independently and stay connected to their communities.
“With AIM funding, we were able to open the program up and allow for social, recreational and health and well-being appointments as well,” Michelle explains. With the program’s expansion, older adults gained the freedom to enjoy everyday activities—whether it was getting their hair done, visiting loved ones in care facilities, shopping for groceries, or simply spending time with friends over a game of bridge.
Collaboration Across Communities
Before AIM, transportation efforts across the region were fragmented, leading to inefficiencies and missed opportunities. “We were all working in silos,” Michelle says. “Each community had a piece of transportation.” That changed when communities began to collaborate.
The network has expanded beyond community lines to include healthcare providers and social service agencies, creating a more integrated and responsive system. This shift has not only improved service delivery but also fostered a deeper sense of shared purpose.
“Your workplace becomes so much bigger,” Michelle reflects. “You’re working with other teams to enhance your own. It doesn’t feel as lonely. We’re all connected… and we need to work together to make things happen.”
Coordinating transportation across a large rural area like the West Kootenay Boundary region in BC is no small task. Michelle oversees 32 volunteer drivers, each with different schedules and challenges.
“A day can look very different for one driver to another.”
In places like Nakusp, even short appointments can take all day. “To go anywhere from Nakusp, you’re going to Revelstoke, which involves a ferry and travel time,” she says. “It’s an all-day affair.”
Demand is highest in Nelson, Trail, and Castlegar, where drivers may complete up to five rides a day.
Long-distance trips to Kelowna, the region’s tertiary hospital, add another layer of complexity. These trips often require overnight stays, especially during the winter months when mountain passes become treacherous. “From mid-October to mid-April, we make it mandatory that the drivers have to overnight in Kelowna.”
Drivers are completely reimbursed for all expenses.
More Than a Ride: Building Trust and Relationships
Beyond logistics, the program is about relationships. For some older adults, the driver is their only human contact.
“Sometimes that driver is the only person that the client has seen in a week or a month because some of them do not have friends or family in the area,” says Michelle. “And that is sad. It hurts my heart greatly.”
One volunteer, a retired counselor, exemplified this care when she helped a client who had survived a traumatic car accident. The client was anxious about traveling, overwhelmed by the sensory experience of being in a vehicle. The volunteer driver took time before the trip to do breathing exercises with her and explained every movement during the drive—when she would pass a car, when a curve was coming, what to expect next.
Michelle recalls, “When the client called back about subsequent appointments, she said, ‘Can I have her again? Because she makes me feel better.’”
Matching drivers with clients is done thoughtfully. “If I know that a driver works particularly well with a client and their mindset, then I’m going to keep that driver with that client because it works for both of them.”
Many volunteers have been with the program for over a decade. But recently, some have had to step back.
“Most of our volunteers are seniors themselves, who have their own complications come up that force them to stop driving as well. That’s not something you prepare yourself for.”
Driving Connection and Independence
Although Audrey has family support, she also relies on the Volunteer Driver Program to stay connected. “It helps me stay in contact with friends. It allows me freedom to make choices about activities.”
“I think it’s a marvelous program,” Audrey says. “I think we’re all lucky to have that kind of program that fills a hole that is often overlooked. It’s a wonderful way to recognize that some of us that live so long have probably done our share of helping other people and its being returned to us.”
Michelle agrees wholeheartedly.
“Transportation is everything—it really is. Transportation connects us to everything else. And when you take that away, you lose something. And we forget that. We need to give that back.”
She continues, “We need to give seniors hope—that just because you’re aging, just because your health needs have changed, just because you’re losing your license—doesn’t mean you should lose your connections to everything else.
With the support of BC’s Ministry of Health and the generosity of donors to United Way BC, initiatives like Aging in Motion (AIM): Transportation Supports & Innovation are making a meaningful impact in the lives of seniors. United Way BC supports agencies across the province to help older adults thrive as they age in their communities through a variety of programs, including Social Meals, Better at Home, and Aging in Motion. These vital partnerships ensure older adults remain active, connected, and engaged—on their own terms.
With your help, we can expand our reach and bring even more programs to more communities. Join us in creating a future where every senior has the support they need to thrive.