Older People Need Rides. Why Aren't They Using Uber and Lyft?

Seniors' anxiety about using ride-hailing apps is preventing them from taking better advantage of such transportation options, reports the New York Times . According to Donna Nettleton at the Oasis Institute in Illinois, older adults are intimidated by such apps partly because of constant warnings about scams and identity theft making them vulnerable to financial abuse. The Pew Research Center says more than half of adults older than 65 own smartphones, but only about 25 percent of adults over 50 used ride-hailing services last year. Moreover, a 2018 AARP survey calculated that only 29 percent of those over 50 had used ride-hailing apps, with 66 percent saying they were unlikely to do so in the coming year due to safety and privacy fears. However, transportation experts envision ride-hailing as a way to improve mobility for older adults who can't or should no longer drive. There is evidence suggesting personalized instruction could enable seniors to better master mobile apps and take "networked transportation" to various appointments and events. To bypass the anxiety problem of using apps and smartphones, Lyft, Uber, and other ride-hailing players are contracting with third parties like healthcare systems to provide better instruction.