Access to healthcare appointments is challenging for older adults with mobility and/or visual challenges, as well as anxiety. Search and Care’s Medical Escorts are background-checked, trained and supervised for this door-to-door service. The criteria for a person to receive this service are:
- Reside in our service area
- Age 60+
- Able to walk independently (okay if the person uses a walker, cane or rollator)
- Able to use their own phone outside the home
- Able to make their own appointments and travel arrangements, or with the assistance of a care manager outside our agency
- Agree to be masked as needed
How it works:
- A person can call on their own or be referred by their care worker to the Medical Escort Coordinator via mail or phone.
- The person will be contacted shortly thereafter by the program coordinator and provided with our requirements, which include requests made a minimum of 7 days in advance of appointment; paying for the Medical Escort’s transportation while they are together; hours of availability; service for healthcare appointments only; one medical escort per week; no stopping for meals or shopping during the escort.
- The escort does not assist the client in the exam room or sit in on the doctor-patient conversations.
- Once a request is assigned to an escort, the client will be called and advised who the escort it; if none are available that day we will ask client to consider rescheduling.
- The assigned Medical Escort will call the client by the day prior to check in and reconfirm pick up time.
Please contact Robin Strashun, Medical Escort Coordinator
212-289-5300 X203