VOCAB Story: Patty Thorsen, Member of MN's Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee

Written by Jane Light, an AARP volunteer who was a writer and editor at Reuters for 30 years.


When Patty Thorsen travels anywhere, a lot of thought goes into how to get there.

Thorsen is 60 years old and has had cerebral palsy all her life, epilepsy much of her life and osteoarthritis for 20 years. She has used mass transit all her adult life.

“The various components of my life influence how I approach mass transit, and paratransit use,” she said. ”Does the uneven terrain of my destination, or the distance I will need to travel once I reach my destination mean I need to walk, or will great distances dictate I need to use my power wheelchair? Will my transit mode allow me to be home in time to take care of my elderly father?” she asks.

Thorsen had been an advocate of AARP on the Transportation Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC) in Minnesota since 2013.  She still serves on the advisory committee but no longer represents AARP as she had to step back a bit due to health issues.

 “I am clear about what relevant life experiences I bring to whatever issue I am addressing.  I know how to articulate the context of the problems and issues that are being addressed” she said. 

Nothing deters her from her mission to raise awareness of the nuances involved in using mass transit and paratransit. Everyone who uses mass transit and/or paratransit does not need the same accommodation. 

Whether going to a doctor’s appointment, a religious service, a volunteer activity, or a social gathering, one has to consider distance, time and expense to arrive.

When designing and/or maintaining a community, what is accessible and what can actually be used should be addressed like snow shoveling of sidewalks, procedures to make sure handicap door openers are made available and that they are functioning. Too often, many people believe that complying with specifications of what is considered accessible is the end goal, Thorsen said.  

She has said that her ability to build relationships with individuals who work with the Metropolitan Council, Metro Transit, and Metro Mobility gives her a tremendous sense of fulfillment. “Through that relationship building, I have been able to offer a 10,000-foot perspective on what unaddressed considerations need to be incorporated into the work of the organization.“

 By being open in disclosing how her disabilities influence her use of mass transit, and paratransit, Thorsen is able to broaden the view of how disabilities are viewed. 

With her use of both a power wheelchair and a cane, she is able to broaden the understanding of what creating an accessible and usable work environment, mass transit system, and a physical infrastructure that needs to be developed and maintained. 

Thorsen said she looks forward to a new phase of her transit and disability advocacy to begin when her full time care-giving duties will lessen.

“Whenever that time comes, I hope to have the time and energy to develop a plan for networking senior living community staff, public and private transit providers, and seniors and individuals with disabilities, who need to be educated about the transit alternatives to the use of private automobiles.

“The development of societal changes that the pandemic will bring to how transit is provided and used will evolve during my life as a caregiver.  Now, I am developing a deeper understanding of the issues that seniors need addressed, in order to live a full life as a contributing member of society,” she said.