Take Away the Keys, Not the Mobility

The average American woman will outlive her ability to drive by 10 years, and men, six years, according to a recent study by Consumer Reports. Oftentimes, it’s a family member who must broach the wrenching topic of ending a lifetime in the driver’s seat. Many seniors report that losing their driving privileges is a bigger blow than having to go into an assisted living facility.But is it now possible to ease some of the agony of taking away the keys with a technological alternative retirees almost anywhere can use?Recently, nonprofit health care system MedStar Health, based in Washington, D.C., reached out to Uber.“They saw through their own research that the cost of missed appointments is ridiculously high,” explains Lindsay Elin, Uber’s Head of Community Engagement. “They were looking to drive down their own costs, and transportation was a big hurdle.”Now, MedStar patients can ask for ride service when they make appointments, and the staff at MedStar manages the rides. They can track trips to see when patients arrive.Uber for AllIt’s now possible, through a program called UberFamily, to create multi-person profiles on the Uber app, and then schedule rides on behalf of family members. UberFamily can even keep seniors mobile who live in a different state than other family members. For example, a daughter living in Phoenix can schedule a ride next week for her father in Boston.It’s always a tough call to tell a parent their driving days are over, but replacing the car with a ride-share service through a smartphone can keep seniors rolling.Caregivers, Family Can Request RideMany seniors are uncomfortable with smartphone technology, or unable to use the devices. Anyone can access a web-based tool called Concierge on a phone or PC to request Lyft rides.“In less than 10 seconds, a person can schedule a ride on behalf of somebody,” says Dan Trigub at Lyft. “They enter the pickup and drop-off locations and they can schedule up to a week in advance or in real time. Then they have access to our fleet of vehicles in that area.”Jitterbug Answers the Call for TransportationMany seniors who can’t use an iPhone or Android are already familiar with Jitterbug, a simplified smartphone developed with older folks in mind. Thanks to a partnership with GreatCall, seniors in more parts of the country have one-button access to transportation. Press “0” to hook up to GreatCall’s Personal Operator Service, and a car will arrive in minutes.“While many of us are aware of and comfortable with ride-sharing apps, the technology requirements—a smart phone and an app—make it difficult for many older adults,” adds Inns. “By incorporating it as part of GreatCall’s Personal Operator Services—having requests handled 24/7 by a member of our U.S.—based customer service team— we make it easy as well as affordable and reliable.”Source:  Society of CSAs Blog: September 3, 2017.