Ride hail giants Uber and Lyft have identified another market – seniors – and are partnering with major senior care providers to address mobility needs of America’s elderly.

Lyft partnered with GreatCall and Home Care Assistance a week after Uber teamed up with 24Hr HomeCare.

The GreatCall Rides program will provide GreatCall customers with easy access to Lyft services – without an app – through GreatCall’s Personal Operator Services.

“We know, both from our customers and research by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving, that transportation limitations seriously impact the independence and self-confidence of older adults,” says David Inns, CEO of GreatCall. “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. 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.”

GreatCall Rides pilot program is focusing on five markets with significant populations of older adults – California, Florida, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Arizona. GreatCall customers simply press “0” on their Jitterbug phones and tell the personal operator where they want to go. Rides in pilot markets arrive in under 10 minutes and can be booked up to one week in advance. The costs of rides, plus a nominal fee, are added to the customer’s monthly bill.

“We know older adults may have a more difficult time getting around,” said Gyre Renwick, head of Healthcare Enterprise Partnerships at Lyft. “In addition to night driving and freeway concerns, many don’t own or want a smartphone. So we created the Concierge platform to allow partners like GreatCall to provide this service to their members. Whether they’re going to a doctor’s appointment, shopping or lunch with friends, no one’s independence should be impacted by transportation concerns,” says Renwick.

GreatCall’s Inns said the program will ease the burden on family members.

“The impact of transportation accessibility also burdens family caregivers, with 78 percent of them providing transportation for their family members – a situation that will worsen as our population ages. By creating this partnership with Lyft, we can eliminate a key barrier to mobility,” adds Inns.

Home Care Assistance concentrates on the 65 plus market, where 70 percent of their clients do not have access to a smartphone.

"These types of ride-sharing platforms developing partnerships or specific solutions for the aging market is part of a growing trend to make transportation more accessible for the aging population," said HomeCare Assistance CEO Lily Sarafan.

The senior ride-hail services are being offered as pilot programs with the hope long-lasting relationships will emerge.

"Non-emergency medical care was very costly, inefficient and difficult to track for transparency and reporting," said a Lyft spokesman. "Using Lyft for non-emergency medical transportation solves for many of those pain points."

24Hr HomeCare, working with Uber, launched RideWith24, a personal touch concierge service to offer a safe form of transportation for mature adults. The program’s Uber driver-partners are thoroughly trained by the Open Doors Organization to accommodate folding wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility aids. In addition, its drivers pay special attention to transporting seniors discharged from hospitals through the doors of their home, to prevent falls and wandering.

24Hr HomeCare’s RideWith24 also does not require its members to download the Uber application or own a smartphone. A simple call to 24Hr HomeCare with the person’s address of pick up and destination are the only logistical pieces of information required.

The program is being coordinated with Age Well Senior Services, a nonprofit organization serving mature adults living in South Orange County. For over three and a half decades, Age Well has expanded its continuum of care to include services such as: Meals on Wheels, the Congregate Lunch Program, Case Management, Health and Wellness Programs, as well as the operation of senior centers.

In comparison to taxis, RideWith24 services are 80-90 percent more cost efficient, in addition to being more timely. “Age Well is always searching for the best resources and services for our community,” said Cheryl Wieland, Age Well’s case management and health and wellness coordinator, “When we came across RideWith24, we knew we had to find a way to integrate the program into our services, because there simply are no longer solutions that combine safety, efficiency, and affordability the way it does.”

RideWith24 is the first transportation solution of its kind. The program is currently undergoing rapid expansion; 24Hr HomeCare has already partnered with UCLA Health, Sunrise Senior Living, Regents Point, WISE & Healthy Aging and Avenidas Village to bring the solution to aging adults nationwide.