My Very Busy Mother Needs Transportation – Where Can I Find a Safe Option?

Dear Benchmark,

I’m very fortunate to be able to say that my 79-year-old mother is always on the go! From her volunteer projects to her passion for shopping, she is in constant motion. The problem we are running in to is that she gave up her car this summer. As her designated driver, I’m struggling to keep up with her. The holidays are making it even more difficult. Between my own shopping, getting the kids to holiday events, and prepping for a gathering at our home, my calendar is overbooked. She’s started exploring senior living communities to move to – especially those with transportation services – but I’m wondering if there is a short-term transportation solution you know of for us to use in the interim? Any advice would be so much appreciated!

Gina

On-Demand Transportation Services for Older Adults

Dear Gina,

My mom is the same way! She loves to be on the go, but there aren’t always wheels to take her. Forward-thinking retirement communities are now partnering with local Lyft services to help residents arrange for on-demand transportation. It might be to a last-minute physician appointment, shopping trip, movie, or lunch with a friend.

At a handful of Benchmark Senior Living communities, the concierge handles all of the Lyft arrangements for residents. That makes the service even easier for them to use. The good news for you is that Lyft’s door-to-door service is available to older adults in most areas of the country. Your mom can download an app for her smartphone to schedule rides in minutes. If she’s not a smartphone user, there are other options for requesting a ride.

You will likely feel a sense of security knowing the steps Lyft takes to keep riders safe. From criminal background checks to vehicle inspections, Lyft takes safety very seriously.

One final tip since you mentioned you and your mother are exploring senior living communities.

Be sure to ask each community she is considering what type of transportation services they offer. While many communities have scheduled transportation routes, it sounds like your mother will need options beyond that to meet her busy schedule. So make sure to find out if the community has a partnership like Benchmark has with Lyft or another way of handling last minute requests from busy seniors!