An insignificant little golf cart has played a significant role at Arvida Oakwoods Retirement Village, clocking up more than 3,000 trips for residents needing a lift.
The village purchased the electric golf cart in October 2023, and six volunteers are kept busy ferrying residents next door to doctors, specialists, pharmacy or a social catch-up at the café.
Volunteer Jonathan Seagers says he doesn’t know how residents managed without the trusty whisper mobile, which from now on might be called Gertie. While the complex is right next door to the village, it’s a long way for many residents, he says, especially if it’s raining.
“It’s just too far for their zimmer frames. And for some of them, their eyesight isn’t so good. So, it seems to be very popular and becomes more and more popular as time goes on.
“We have a chap in the care centre who visits family in one of the villas, and he gets a ride there and back again at night.
“It gives them that extra bit of mobility, independence and convenience. Before we had it, they would have had to trundle along the pavement to the medical centre and all the way back again. Some would have had to get a taxi.”
The little easy rider operates five days a week and Jonathan has been taking a turn at the wheel for the past 18 months.
“It keeps me out of mischief and stops me falling asleep! And it’s not too onerous. You have to have a driving test to drive it – you can’t go too fast in it because you don’t want to turf people out as you go around the corners!”
Some days, especially rainy days, volunteers are “flat out” driving residents around the village or to the neighbouring complex. By last week, the village shuttle which needs a name had registered 3,170 trips with residents on board.
