Elderly Receive Free Bus Rides - Essay Example

Elderly Receive Free Bus Rides These programs are either in operation or are going to become operational soon, the question here to be asked is why seniors throughout the world should have access to such discounts. Several policy makers have time and again given importance to the question and due to various reasons such policies related to free travelling for seniors have been created. Body Studies conducted in different areas and locations show that seniors live longer and healthy if their activity level is high, and in order to increase the quality of life of seniors it should be the first priority of policy makers to give seniors access to free transportation so they can easily move from one place to another and increase their activity level (Nussbaum 122).

During the period of 2006, seniors living in the region of England were offered free of cost travelling as soon as the rush hours of weekdays used to end and throughout the weekends (BBC News 20120. This policy is under scrutiny and policy makers are thinking of ending the policy. According to a study conducted by Sophie Coronini-Cronberg on the senior citizens of the England, showed that people who had access to free bus passes participated highly in traveling from one end to another through means of walking, public transportation and cycling (U.K. Government Online 2012).

The research further suggested that the free ride passes did not only benefit the poor in the community, it even benefited the rich within the community. The research results even showed that those individuals who were car owners participated less in active traveling activities. Active travelling has been associated with better health and exercise, people mostly around the world hate exercising or they do not get enough time to exercise. But if the use of public transport, especially busses increase they will start walking from their homes to buss stands and such travelling activities will assist them in complying with the exercises they have been recommended by physicians.

According to a research conducted in Britain, when adults participate in active travelling such as travelling from their homes and offices to bus stands, they are able to fulfill certain portion of their recommended exercises (AlphaGalileo 2012). According to Santos those senior citizen that take part in active travelling and physical activities end up with better quality of life, have better mental fitness and are able to participate in economic activities which helps the government in keeping their expenses low as seniors work and do not require government aid (Fleischer 2002).

Seniors that are mentally fit easily find jobs due to their experience, this helps them in becoming dependant on their families and their families do not have to think of them as burden. Death rate of senior citizens have even been linked with physical activity, studies show that those senior individuals who participate in physical activities are at a 12% lesser risk of loosing their lives as soon as they cross the age of 60 (Harbert 23). Before policy makers decide to cancel free bus trips and travelling for senior citizens, they should look at the costs associated with doing so.

Medical expenses are on a rise, seniors need great amount of medical attention as at their age they experience various health diseases and if free bus rides