Already formally being tested by several senior living operators, Lyft this week announced a new partnership that will make it likely that even more older adults will use the ride-hailing service.
Lyft and grandPad are joining forces to enable owners of the tablet to order rides or have them ordered on their behalf.
“Together with grandPad, we’re able to offer better transit options for seniors through improved technology — providing them with more independence and increased mobility, and ultimately enriching the quality of life for people in these communities,” said Gyre Renwick, VP, Lyft Business.
The ride-hailing service will integrate with grandPad in two different modes. Lyft’s Concierge tool will enable grandPad’s customer care team to arrange rides for users. The self-serve mode will enable older adults to request rides directly from the grandPad device.
Pre-populated locations to which an older adult travels frequently — doctor’s offices, grocery stores, churches, etc. — can be uploaded onto the tablet by a family administrator or the older adult.
With both the Concierge and self-serve modes, the family administrator of the account will receive text message updates alerting him or her of when the rider is picked up and dropped off. The rider also will receive alerts on the grandPad, with a photo of the Lyft driver and the car, the drivers’ license plate number and an approximate pickup time. The rider also will be able to video-call family members from the grandPad tablet.
“We are honored to have Lyft help us meet the transportation needs of the growing senior population and, more importantly, make a difference by improving senior lives,” Scott Lien, CEO and co-founder of grandPad, said in a statement.
Lyft is available on the grandPad in all areas where the ride-hailing service currently is available. For more information, see https://www.grandpad.net/lyft.
Erickson Living recently announced that it is testing the service in two continuing care retirement communities. Sunshine Retirement Living, Brookdale Senior Living and Ascension Living previously announced pilots or partnerships involving Lyft for individual resident trips. Sunshine also was looking at other uses for Lyft, such as employee transportation and the transporting of groups of residents for activities.
Lyft also launched a pilot program with Great Call whereby older adults who use Jitterbug flip phones in select markets could arrange for transportation through a personal operator reached by pressing “0” on the phone.
