“I have missed some outgoing things I wanted to do because I didn’t want to drive that far by myself…but now I can say, ‘Oh, I’ll just call Lyft. I’ll have them take me.’”
When she retired, Connie Torres missed the social interaction that came with working. Thanks to a study initiated by AARP Foundation, University of Southern California (USC) Center for Body Computing and UnitedHealthcare, she can easily get to social engagements with friends and family.
The three-month study provides free on-demand rides to medical appointments and social activities for select patients over age 60 in Los Angeles.
Lack of affordable transportation can lead to social isolation and limit access to health care, with approximately 3.6 million Americans each year missing medical care because of transportation issues.
USC will study whether the no-cost rides affect participants’ health, social connectedness and compliance with follow-up medical appointments.
Watch the video to learn how this program has been “a Godsend” for Connie.
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See how this program has helped another participant.