RICKSHAW rides will be an experience for Curtin Care residents after the aged care launched its Cycling without Age Program on Wednesday.
The program was launched using one of the donated machines at Wearne Hostel in Cottesloe.
“I’ve never been on one before, as I’ve lived in Queens Park since I was three-years-old,” resident Enid Dunne (93) said.
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READ NOWRickshaws already provide trips at the RAAF retirement Village in Bullcreek and at a Hillarys aged care home.
Curtin Care’s rickshaw was organised by Cottesloe resident Jennifer Patterson.
She became a member of the 2012-established Cycling Without Age movement, which was created in Denmark to get more seniors back in the cycling saddle by having volunteers taking them around Copenhagen on the three-wheelers.
The charity now has 1500 of the bikes in 37 countries.
An anonymous donor provided the $15,000 for Wearne’s rickshaw, which will take any of the 129 residents of the Wearne, Gibney Street and Riversea, Mosman Park hostels along the Cottesloe Coast to shops or cafes.
The volunteer driver-peddlers, nicknamed pilots, will be shown how to use the large machines, which have an electric motor for hills and headwinds.
“We’ll start regular rides in spring when the pilots are trained,” Ms Patterson said.
Wearne managing director David Cox said the rickshaw would get residents among the community and also help fight any dementia.
“Everyone used to ride a bike, so getting them out and experiencing nature could take them back to their youth,” Mr Cox said.
However, not everyone is ready to climb aboard just yet.
“With this wet weather it will have to be summertime before I go,” Wearne resident Ina Duff (88) said.