On-Demand Transportation Options for Seniors
Traditional medical transportation has relied on livery cab services to get patients to and from their medical appointments. Unfortunately, reliability was a major pain point. Today’s seniors are active and engaged in their local communities, and they are adamant about the need for more transparent, cashless alternatives to traditional transportation options.
According to a new study, “3.6 million Americans miss or delay medical appointments every year because of transportation issues.” That’s where Lyft comes in.
“The more and more we dig into this space, the more we realize it’s a problem across the board,” said Amit Patel, Lyft’s director of enterprise partnerships.
It quickly became clear that the industry craved a better option for medical patients and their caregivers, and Lyft certainly delivered. According to CNN’s new article, “Lyft’s 12-person enterprise team is working to get a foothold in industries like hospitality, corporate travel and medicine.”
Lyft’s easy-to-use, cashless alternative to traditional transportation offers a range of benefits for seniors. As passengers, they are able to save money, make meaningful social connections, and stay independent for longer with Lyft’s safe, reliable transportation.
In the Seniorly Conversations Series, Seniorly had the pleasure of interviewing Lyft’s Director of Government Relations Mike Masserman, who gave us some insight into the future of on-demand transportation services.
With the number of 65+ Americans predicted to double in the coming years, Lyft recognizes the growing need for dependable transportation options for older adults. In order to respond to this massive opportunity, the Lyft team is working to create services that anyone can utilize, whether or not they own a smartphone.
In particular, Lyft is trying out a new web-based dashboard called Concierge, which will allow people without smartphones to book a car by computer. This will be game-changing for the elderly in retirement communities who are no longer able to drive and need to get to medical appointments and social engagements on time.
Another way these services benefit elders is that they provide an opportunity for employment. As Lyft drivers, seniors can make some extra money in a job with flexible hours and tons of opportunities for socialization.
At Seniorly, we love learning about innovative new companies that are transforming elder care for the better. “By 2060, there will be about 98 million older persons, more than twice their number in 2013,” which represents the perfect opportunity for companies such as Lyft to step up and provide alternative options to traditional medical transportation.
To learn more about how Lyft is helping seniors, check out this video on Seniorly.
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