Built for This Stage of Life

Two resources came up near the end of the hour. A member mentioned that some areas have a Village, a place to post needs and offers. Someone else mentioned Lyft Silver, though nobody in the room was quite sure what made it different. We looked both up.

Before the details, one thing worth saying. These services exist because the needs they answer are real and particular. A car that is easier to get into. A human being on the phone instead of a menu. A way for a family member to know their person arrived. Someone in the neighborhood who can help with a ride or a small task. None of that is unusual to anyone in this group, and it is quietly validating to see companies and communities building around it. What we live with is not an edge case. It is a market, and a movement, large enough to design for.

Villages

The Village model is a neighborhood membership organization, almost always a nonprofit, set up to help older adults keep living in their own homes. Members typically get volunteer help with rides, social activities, and referrals to vetted local services, and about 40% of members volunteer to help other members in turn. That last part matters for anyone who finds asking hard: it is help built on reciprocity, by design (AARP Public Policy Institute, 2022).

Annual dues vary enormously, from about $10 to $900 for an individual. Villages also tend to skew toward more affluent and less diverse neighborhoods, which AARP names plainly as a gap.

The Village to Village Network lists Villages across the country and can tell you whether one is near you. We mentioned it before, in Who Is Your Care Plan? If the member who raised this had a different local board in mind, a neighborhood group or a mutual aid list, the spirit is the same: a place where asking is the expected thing to do.

Lyft Silver

Lyft launched Lyft Silver in May 2025 as an option inside the regular Lyft app, aimed at older riders. As described at launch (Lyft):

• A simpler screen that shows only what is needed to book a ride.
• Live phone support with real people.
• Cars that are easier to get in and out of are prioritized for Silver riders.
• Ride sharing for family. Trip details can be shared with trusted contacts, so a caregiver can see when their person has arrived.
• A caregiver can set it up. A family member can send an invitation by text and fund the rides with Lyft Cash, so the rider does not need a card on file.
• Discounts through partners. Discounted rides are available through partner organizations, including AltaMed, Urban League, NOAH, SAGE, and Self Help for the Elderly.

To find it, open the Lyft app, tap You in the bottom corner, and look for Lyft Silver. Features and availability may have changed since launch, so it is worth checking in the app itself.

Two honest limits. It still requires a smartphone. And a rideshare driver is a driver, not an aide, so it is a better fit for someone who can get from the car to the door on their own.

A Few Close Cousins

Uber senior accounts. Uber launched its own version in June 2025, with larger text and fewer buttons. A Family profile lets a caregiver book rides for their person, contact the driver, and follow the trip in real time, and rides can be paid with a family member’s card (Axios).

GoGoGrandparent is for people without a smartphone. They call a phone number, a live operator books an Uber or Lyft, and family members can get alerts when rides are completed. It charges a monthly membership on top of the fare.

Rides through public programs. Your local Area Agency on Aging often knows about volunteer driver programs and senior transportation in your area. Medicaid covers rides to medical appointments for eligible members, and some Medicare Advantage plans include transportation as a benefit, as we noted in Building the Bench Before You Need It.

Resources

Eldercare Locator: The free public front door to your local Area Agency on Aging, including transportation options. Call 1-800-677-1116.

Village to Village Network: Find a Village near you.