CareLinx Inc., a leading nationwide online caregiver marketplace, specifically focused on helping the elderly and people with disabilities and chronic conditions, announced a partnership with Lyft, the fastest growing on-demand transportation service in the U.S., to offer CareRides, convenient, reliable, door-through-door transportation to increase freedom and mobility for millions of individuals who need extra support across the U.S. This partnership makes Lyft’s ride-sharing service available through CareLinx’s mobile application, enabling their elderly customers to easily order a car to get to doctor’s appointments, run errands, and visit friends and family with the assistance of a professional caregiver.
More and more seniors and patients seek to remain in their homes rather than move into assisted living facilities. For many of them, transportation can be challenging because of a lack of reliable, cost-effective options and because they require physical assistance to get from their home into a vehicle. In fact, a recent Community Transportation Association of America paper suggests nearly 3.6 million Americans miss or delay medical care because they lack appropriate transportation to their appointments. As a result, many health systems have identified door-through-door services, such as Lyft, as an important need for elderly patients who have difficulty getting to appointments.
“At Lyft, we are committed to improving how elderly and people with disabilities experience life by providing convenient, on-demand transportation to those who need it most,” said Gyre Renwick, head of enterprise healthcare partnerships, Lyft. “We are excited to work with CareLinx to reduce isolation and empower people to age with greater freedom and mobility.”
The CareLinx app allows family members to communicate with their loved ones’ caregivers to set Care Plans, including social outings and medical appointments. In any metro area where both CareLinx and Lyft are available, family members and authorized caregivers can order a CareRide by CareLinx in partnership with Lyft on behalf of their loved ones directly through the CareLinx app even if they do not live nearby. With real-time notifications, family members can also track the status of a ride as it happens for peace of mind. Now, family members can feel assured their loved ones are safely accompanied by one of more than 160,000 trusted caregiver companions in CareLinx’s network when they are going to medical, social events and other appointments.
“Transportation is critical for all individuals, especially those who have mobility challenges, to stay in their homes as they age without being stuck at home because of a lack of options that meet their physical needs or budget,” said Sherwin Sheik, founder of CareLinx. “Our partnership with Lyft makes it easier for family members to organize transportation while supporting individuals with the caregiving they need to remain independent and still affordably get to where they need to go.”
Through LyftOne, Lyft’s charitable program, which partners with organizations to give back to the community, CareLinx will donate one percent of the proceeds of CareRides scheduled through the platform to the Alzheimer’s Association through December 9, 2017. The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research.