CSAA Insurance Group Funds Ridesharing Pilot for Older Bay Area Residents

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., April 17, 2018 – CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, has provided a total of $140,000 to three Bay Area nonprofits serving the elderly to start pilot programs offering safe and reliable ridesharing services to local seniors.

The goal of the pilots, which run through July 2018, is to test different senior-friendly ridesharing business models to find long-term transportation solutions for older Americans.

Many studies show that older people who’ve stopped driving for age-related reasons feel their quality of life has diminished. Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that seniors who give up driving are almost twice as likely to experience depression and nearly five times as likely to enter long-term care facilities. Older, non-drivers make fewer medical appointments, shop less and engage in fewer social and religious activities than their driving peers, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

While public transit options exist in most Bay Area cities, many older residents struggle with navigating steps and walking long distances that taking a bus or BART might require. On-demand services such as Lyft and Uber require an app, which prevents seniors without smartphones from using them. And, even those who do have smartphones, often need extra help using the apps. As a result, many seniors are being left behind by the super convenient car-sharing services that have become household names among younger generations.

CSAA Insurance Group is working with Institute on Aging, Life ElderCare and Little Brother Friends of the Elderly to make popular ride-hailing services viable transportation options for older Bay Area residents.

In addition to having live operators dispatch and route rides for seniors, the nonprofits offer extra assistance to make sure seniors complete their rides safely and successfully. Similar senior-friendly, ride-hailing services exist in many cities, but they tend to be expensive. Life ElderCare is offering its “VIP Zip” on-demand, ridesharing services to all Alameda County residents who are age 60 and older or disabled for the cost of the Uber or Lyft fare with no added charges. It will subsidize rides for low-income residents. The Institute on Aging and Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly ridesharing programs are free and available to their clients.

“Finding ways to help seniors stay active and independent for as long as safely possible is essential to building healthy communities,” said Vanessa Chan, senior manager of corporate responsibility for CSAA Insurance Group. “We’re honored to partner with these Bay Area nonprofits devoted to senior advocacy to help create transportation solutions for older people and their families.”

With roughly 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the need to provide mobility options to older people who want to stop driving or drive less is a top priority for many U.S. communities.

The ridesharing pilots will address a service need in the area, while also introducing older residents to myriad other services offered by these nonprofits that alleviate isolation and contribute to a happier way of life for the elderly in our communities.

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About CSAA Insurance Group
CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA insurer, offers automobile, homeowners and other personal lines of insurance to AAA members through AAA clubs in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Founded in 1914, the company has been rated “A” or better by A.M. Best for 90 years, and is one of the top personal lines property casualty insurance groups in the United States, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The company has been repeatedly named one of the 50 most community-minded companies in America by Points of Light.

About Institute on Aging
Founded in 1985, Institute on Aging (IOA) is one of Northern California’s largest community-based nonprofit organizations providing comprehensive health, social, and psychological services for seniors and adults with disabilities. IOA's mission is to enhance the quality of life for adults as they age, by enabling them to maintain their health, well-being, independence, and participation in the community. Long considered one of the most innovative and diverse organizations of its kind, Institute on Aging currently touches the lives of more than 20,000 seniors and adults with disabilities and their families each year through programs designed to alleviate isolation, and enable older adults to continue living independently in the community. IOA's services support individuals in San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Sacramento, Contra Costa and Santa Clara counties. The Friendship Line reaches older and disabled adults in all 50 states.

About Life ElderCare
LIFE ElderCare’s mission is to empower the aging to live with independence and interdependence by nourishing mind, body and spirit. LIFE ElderCare (LIFE) has been providing important home and community-based services to primarily low-income, older adults in Alameda County since 1975. These include home-delivered therapeutic meals, transportation with destination assistance, and multi-component Fall Prevention programming. Research now demonstrates that access to services that address one’s social determinants of health are equally as important as accessing clinical care. LIFE’s services provide this access by helping older adults manage their chronic health conditions, stay connected to their communities, and greatly reduce avoidable ER visits. Learn more at LifeElderCare.org or VIPZip.org.

About Little Brothers
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) is a national network of nonprofit volunteer-based organizations committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. Since 1991, LBFE has been providing personal, caring, and consistent companionship and support to isolated and lonely elders throughout San Francisco who have few if any friends or family in the area. Its core programs are year-round, in-home visits, matched friends, telephone and birthday visits, social events, excursions, medical escorts, and technology training. All services are free and open to seniors over age 65 who are enrolled in the LBFE’s programs, regardless of income. Read more at littlebrotherssf.org.