Here is the feel-good story of the month. Writer Tom Hallberg of the Jackson Hole News & Guide reports on the activity of Cycling Without Age in Jackson, Wyoming. Cycling Without Age pairs pilots (who volunteer their time and leg muscles) with older residents (sometimes shut-ins) for trishaw rides around their community. These folks may not have felt the wind rushing through their hair since, well, since they had hair.
Seniors jumping back on a bike find that their balance, coordination and dexterity may no longer be up to the complicated task of riding a bicycle. According to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every five falls by an older adult results in serious injury, such as broken bones, a hip fracture or head trauma. Nationally, 55 percent of all unintentional deaths among American adults in 2012-13 were due to falls, according to the CDC. Cycling Without Age’s unique form of transportation gives seniors a safe and sane way to experience cycling again. It is an experience that many seniors may have believed they would never participate in again.
Kudos to all the Cycling Without Age volunteers and to the Jackson Hole News & Guide’s Tom Hallberg for his fine story.