Smart phone + plan for 95 year olds who just need to Uber?

[mjkacmom]

My 95 year old FIL recently totaled his car (fell asleep at the wheel). They live in NJ, but kind of in the boonies (an hour from us). I just looked at uber, and I could get them an Uber in there area in 15 minutes. They have flip phones. MIL left a message saying they need another car (but when we called back she obviously forgot about it). We were thinking/hoping that Uber might be a good way for them to get around, and maybe we could get them an inexpensive plan (or add a phone for them onto our plan, plan alone would be $40 a month, we’d be happy to pay).

 

[tvguy]

Any Uber experts? I would wonder if Uber drivers would want to go that far out for a client.
As for phones, a friend got her mom a Jitter Bug smart phone, they aren't expensive and Consumer Cellular offers plans at $20 a month. However, how comfortable would they be with using a smart phone over a flip phone? I ask because my half brother is 88 and he struggles with his smart phone. It just does so much more than he needs. All he uses it for is called. I sent him a text and it took him 3 months to figure out how to pull it up to read it.

 

[GreatLakes]

I've never done it myself but you can request a ride for them. They don't even need a smart phone for Uber, just a phone that can get texts.

https://help.uber.com/riders/articl...s?nodeId=da223dcd-fef8-42d4-93be-be1182d69518

 

[RogueX]

I help my father and stepmother with uber rides for medical appointments, getting to a rehab facility for visits, etc. They couldn't quite figure out how to schedule the rides on the phone (they both have android based smartphones). My stepmother is legally blind, so her phone was set to help her see better. My father literally suffers from brain damage but can function, so he relies on just texting, otherwise apps confuse him and he loses his temper.

The biggest thing you'll need to find out is if uber will make the travel where your parents are to you.

 

[Imzadi]

I help my father and stepmother with uber rides for medical appointments, getting to a rehab facility for visits, etc. They couldn't quite figure out how to schedule the rides on the phone (they both have android based smartphones).

I'm nowhere near 95 and I have a hard time working the Uber app. Any time I do a SEARCH for an address to check the price, it remembers the address and keeps bringing it up on the list. And the first address I visited ONE time a year ago, it's still listed as the first address. on the list. I can find no way to delete places I've gone to or the searches. (In fact, by law, the addresses one has gone to is logged for our safety. I guess so nefarious drivers can't delete it off the app if they do a crime. But, I don't need it to show up during inputting a new address.)

Also, the app prefers one to pick one of the addresses IT lists over one I want to choose. I was at 97th St and Broadway. I wanted to choose those cross streets. But, it wanted me to choose some address: #### Broadway, ON Broadway by building number. I had to walk down the block to look for the building numbers to make sure it actually picked a building on my block and not down the street.

I also have to constantly check to make sure as I'm inputting an address that it's auto showing an address in Manhattan NY and not Manhattan KANSAS.

That SEARCH feature may be great if the ILs only input the addresses they go to consistently. And it brings it up. Great feature for that. But, if they searched or saved an address, or input an incorrect address, the app will keep listing those addresses and it will be confusing for them.

My suggestion is reserve the Ubers for them. This way, you can also input the tip for them once the ride is over. If they forget to do that and they get a bad Uber feedback rating, no other Uber drivers will ever pick them up again.

 

[amcnj]

As an aside, also check into senior transportation options in their area. The town my mother resides in has a free shuttle for seniors, and a cousin in another state makes use of a county wide transportation system that provides rides for $1.00 each way within her town, and $1.50 within the county.

Good luck with this situation.

 

[Imzadi]

If you do want to get them a smartphone, get a Tracfone. I've consistently had one since 2000. I just upgraded and got a new one off HSN .com. They have the best Tracfone bundles, which come with a bundle of 1 year of active service, 1500 talk minutes, 1500 texts, and 1.5 GB of data. (They will need the data to work the Uber app.) All of that rolls over after the year is up, and it's more than they will need considering their usage.

There are cheaper Tracfone smartphones on the Tracfone website. Then you only have to get a 1 year service card for $50, and buy them less minutes, texts & data.

 

[TLSnell1981]

I would request the rides for her. Learning to use a cell phone and Uber app plus keeping up with the device would likely be too much.

 

[luvthatduke]

I agree with everyone here that suggested that you should
do the research/legwork/ordering, etc.
However, while reading your post it occurred to me that with in-laws
in their 90's, your FIL falling asleep & crashing the car,
and your MIL not remembering that she asked you about replacing that car...
Well, honestly, I think you & your DH have bigger problems.
What does your DH think about all of it?

P.S. My DM lives over 45 minutes away & we find ways to help her
whenever she needs it.

 

[NotUrsula]

It looks like some smart folks in state govt. in NJ have had the sense to realize that old folks and smartphones are a difficult combination, and there is public-private partnership funded service that gets past the problem by setting up regular phone dispatch operators that riders can call. They do charge a surcharge for the trip, but it also looks like they may have negotiated discounted rates from Lyft and Uber for their members. Take a look at this website and see if it will solve your folks' transportation issues: https://ezride.org/transportation/senior-transportation/

It also appears that this is paid via a deposit account from a credit card, rather like most states have set up electronic road toll billing.

It looks like they don't do really early morning or late night service, or service on major holidays, but IME, most folks that age don't much like going out when it isn't daylight anyway, so perhaps you could make it so that if they need to go somewhere at those times, you could make alternative arrangements.

 

[Skippy918]

As an aside, also check into senior transportation options in their area. The town my mother resides in has a free shuttle for seniors, and a cousin in another state makes use of a county wide transportation system that provides rides for $1.00 each way within her town, and $1.50 within the county.

Good luck with this situation.

Yes! This! There are non profits out there that do this. It‘s free or low cost. My parents have this option in their new community. They can get rides to doctor appointments and there’s also a shuttle bus that transports people to local shopping areas.

 

[Allison]

I would worry about them being able to figure out how to use a smart phone and most certainly the app. It doesn't seem like a solution that is likely to work.

 

[DeeBee3]

I will say that I live in a similar environment where we have Uber, but kinda out of the way.
I would think they have a senior busing situation for them, but that still involves calling or requesting service. Or call the town hall/senior centers.

And bless them at 95! I hope it all works out.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

My 95 year old FIL recently totaled his car (fell asleep at the wheel). They live in NJ, but kind of in the boonies (an hour from us). I just looked at uber, and I could get them an Uber in there area in 15 minutes. They have flip phones. MIL left a message saying they need another car (but when we called back she obviously forgot about it). We were thinking/hoping that Uber might be a good way for them to get around, and maybe we could get them an inexpensive plan (or add a phone for them onto our plan, plan alone would be $40 a month, we’d be happy to pay).

I just bought a phone straight out for $379.00 and am using Mint Mobile $45 for 3 months for a work phone for one of our guys.

What county do they live in? I am in Sussex. We have very limited options for senior or any disabled transport in our county It's very sad.

 

[mjkacmom]

I help my father and stepmother with uber rides for medical appointments, getting to a rehab facility for visits, etc. They couldn't quite figure out how to schedule the rides on the phone (they both have android based smartphones). My stepmother is legally blind, so her phone was set to help her see better. My father literally suffers from brain damage but can function, so he relies on just texting, otherwise apps confuse him and he loses his temper.

The biggest thing you'll need to find out is if uber will make the travel where your parents are to you.

Oh I don’t want them here (only because my MIL can’t do stairs and get into the house), although I have checked it out, it’s about $100 each way. The last time it was manageable was a few years ago, our kids did the 4 hour total 1 hour trips there and back.

 

[mjkacmom]

I just bought a phone straight out for $379.00 and am using Mint Mobile $45 for 3 months for a work phone for one of our guys.

What county do they live in? I am in Sussex. We have very limited options for senior or any disabled transport in our county It's very sad.

They are in warren, I believe, Belvidere. I checked yesterday and an Uber could’ve picked them up in 15 minutes to take them to their favorite restaurant, but I want to keep trying dummy bookings to see if that is the norm. They live in an adult community where most folks are on the older end.

 

[mjkacmom]

Yes! This! There are non profits out there that do this. It‘s free or low cost. My parents have this option in their new community. They can get rides to doctor appointments and there’s also a shuttle bus that transports people to local shopping areas.

Where we live we have a ton of senior services, where they live not so much (a sibling lives near them and is head of nursing at their hospital so she is aware of what is offered).

 

[mjkacmom]

It looks like some smart folks in state govt. in NJ have had the sense to realize that old folks and smartphones are a difficult combination, and there is public-private partnership funded service that gets past the problem by setting up regular phone dispatch operators that riders can call. They do charge a surcharge for the trip, but it also looks like they may have negotiated discounted rates from Lyft and Uber for their members. Take a look at this website and see if it will solve your folks' transportation issues: https://ezride.org/transportation/senior-transportation/

It also appears that this is paid via a deposit account from a credit card, rather like most states have set up electronic road toll billing.

It looks like they don't do really early morning or late night service, or service on major holidays, but IME, most folks that age don't much like going out when it isn't daylight anyway, so perhaps you could make it so that if they need to go somewhere at those times, you could make alternative arrangements.

Definitely checking this out, and yes, they do have a lot of free time!

 

[mjkacmom]

I'm nowhere near 95 and I have a hard time working the Uber app. Any time I do a SEARCH for an address to check the price, it remembers the address and keeps bringing it up on the list. And the first address I visited ONE time a year ago, it's still listed as the first address. on the list. I can find no way to delete places I've gone to or the searches. (In fact, by law, the addresses one has gone to is logged for our safety. I guess so nefarious drivers can't delete it off the app if they do a crime. But, I don't need it to show up during inputting a new address.)

Also, the app prefers one to pick one of the addresses IT lists over one I want to choose. I was at 97th St and Broadway. I wanted to choose those cross streets. But, it wanted me to choose some address: #### Broadway, ON Broadway by building number. I had to walk down the block to look for the building numbers to make sure it actually picked a building on my block and not down the street.

I also have to constantly check to make sure as I'm inputting an address that it's auto showing an address in Manhattan NY and not Manhattan KANSAS.

That SEARCH feature may be great if the ILs only input the addresses they go to consistently. And it brings it up. Great feature for that. But, if they searched or saved an address, or input an incorrect address, the app will keep listing those addresses and it will be confusing for them.

My suggestion is reserve the Ubers for them. This way, you can also input the tip for them once the ride is over. If they forget to do that and they get a bad Uber feedback rating, no other Uber drivers will ever pick them up again.

My daughter recently had this issue getting an Uber from a Boston train station, it was frustrating, she ended of canceling and getting a cab.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

They are in warren, I believe, Belvidere. I checked yesterday and an Uber could’ve picked them up in 15 minutes to take them to their favorite restaurant, but I want to keep trying dummy bookings to see if that is the norm. They live in an adult community where most folks are on the older end.

Yeah so that's an hour for you WITHOUT traffic... That's not exactly an easy run for your family to go and try and help on a regular basis, I know what county you live in, we have spoken before. If the have Uber down there and the were independent right up until this I don't see any reason why you can't try. I bought an iphone se for the $379.00.