BATON ROUGE — A new program will provide East Baton Rouge seniors with free on-demand bus rides to a clinic, the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging announced on Wednesday. 

The program, Lotus Care Transit, is being launched by EBRCOA, CareSouth and Capital Area Transit System and will begin Monday. 

To qualify for the program, riders must be at least 60 years old, reside in East Baton Rouge Parish and be homebound or living with a disability in an underserved community. Eligible seniors will be picked up directly from their home and brought to the CareSouth Geriatric Clinic at Lotus Village. 

The initiative will begin with a $20,000 collective contribution from EBRCOA and CareSouth to purchase CATS On Demand tickets, covering the fare so eligible seniors can ride at no cost to them.

To be eligible for Lotus Care Transit, seniors must register with Cats On Demand. Registration can be completed through a form or by calling 225-366-6945. 

“This is a tremendous step forward for seniors in East Baton Rouge Parish,” CEO of the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging Tasha Clark-Amar said. “Healthcare access and transportation go hand in hand. We know that getting to an appointment can be a significant barrier for seniors. Through Lotus Care Transit, we are helping remove that barrier and making it easier for seniors to get the care they need.”

Geriatric Clinic at Lotus Village offers a variety of services tailored to seniors, including primary care, dental care, behavioral health services, podiatry, dermatology, urology, physical therapy and an on-site pharmacy. 

“Our mission at CATS has always been to connect people to what matters, and access to healthcare is one of the most important connections we can make," CEO of the Capital Area Transit System Theo Richards said.