While many older adults are comfortable using the standard Uber app to arrange their own rides, some need a bit of help, perhaps from a relative or caregiver. For those who do, Uber now offers Senior Accounts and a simpler app experience, including larger text and graphics, high-contrast screens, and fewer steps. These features make it easier for older adults to request rides themselves or have a designated helper arrange them. Built-in safety features and real-time updates also allow riders to share trip details with trusted family members or caregivers, offering added peace of mind.
As with all Uber rides, riders can see the cost in advance, track their trip in real time, and pay electronically rather than using cash.
Uber Senior Accounts
Uber Senior Accounts are part of Uber’s Family Profile feature. This option allows a trusted family member or caregiver to help arrange and manage rides for an older adult through the helper’s Uber app, while the rider uses the service. There is no minimum age requirement for a Senior Account, but the accounts are designed for those older adults who might benefit from extra help and a simplified interface.
For those who prefer not to join a Family Profile, Uber also offers Simple Mode, which can be turned on directly in the app under Settings > Accessibility. Simple Mode provides a more streamlined version of the app without involving another person.
Key Benefits of Uber Senior Accounts
Uber Senior Accounts are designed to make ride-hailing easier and more manageable for older adults, with features that reduce complexity and offer added flexibility, including:
- The ability to request rides independently or with assistance from a family member or caregiver
- Larger text, fewer on-screen buttons, and optional voice commands
- A more straightforward booking process with fewer steps
- Real-time trip tracking that family members or caregivers can follow, if invited
- The option for a trusted contact to communicate directly with the driver and rider during the trip
- Multiple payment choices, including a personal credit card, a family member’s card, or eligible Medicare Flex health benefit cards for certain medical trips.
Questions to Consider Before Using an Uber Senior Account
Before getting started, older adults and their families may want to think through a few practical questions:
- Do I want to book rides on my own, or would I prefer help from a family member or caregiver?
- Am I comfortable sharing my location and destination with the family member or caregiver?
- Is my family member or caregiver comfortable taking on this responsibility?
- Am I comfortable using a smartphone, or would I rather use Uber’s phone-based booking option?
- Which privacy settings are right for me, including trip tracking and notifications?
- How will rides be paid for, and who will manage payments?
- Are there regular destinations, such as medical offices or grocery stores, that should be saved in the app?
Getting Started
To use an Uber Senior Account, a family organizer sends an invitation through the Uber app by going to Account > Family, selecting Add new member, and choosing Senior. Once the invitation is accepted, Simple Mode is automatically applied to the older adult’s account.
People who prefer to manage rides on their own can enable Simple Mode by opening the app and going to Settings > Accessibility. If they decide it’s not helpful, it can be turned off just as easily.
Booking a Ride
For older adults using Uber Senior Accounts, rides can be arranged by the rider or a trusted helper. This allows someone else to handle the details, such as entering the destination, confirming the pickup location, and monitoring the trip while the rider simply focuses on being ready when the car arrives. Trip details, including the driver’s name, vehicle information, and estimated arrival time, are visible once the ride is booked.
Some riders prefer to request rides themselves. In that case, a ride can be booked in the Uber app or on the website by entering a pickup location and destination, reviewing the estimated cost, and confirming the trip.
For those who don’t want to use the app, Uber offers a toll-free phone booking service in the U.S. at 833-USE-UBER (833-873-8237), which allows riders to request a trip by phone, it does require a mobile phone to receive a text verification.
Safety, Privacy, and Preferences
Before getting in a vehicle, riders should confirm the driver’s name and the car’s make, color and license plate. Keeping their phone charged during travel and saving frequently used locations, such as home, medical offices, or a favorite grocery store, can also make booking rides easier. With a Senior Account, a designated family member or other trusted contact can monitor the ride in real-time and speak with the rider and driver in a group chat.
Using Uber involves sharing some personal information with the company, including a rider’s name, pickup location, and trip details. With Uber Senior Accounts, riders can decide how much information is shared with a family member or caregiver, such as whether trips are tracked in real time or whether a trusted contact can communicate with the driver. The driver receives no demographic information about their passenger, though they will know their name and, of course, their pickup and drop-off locations.
Seniors Remain in Control
Family members can help request or monitor rides, but older adults stay in control of their account and can change settings, elect not to share their location or leave a Family Profile at any time. When someone is helping manage rides, it helps to set clear expectations in advance about preferences, such as when assistance is welcome and when more privacy is preferred.
Be sure to review the app’s safety, privacy, and notification settings, or ask a trusted person for help with setup.
Payments and Tipping
Uber shows the cost of a ride before it is booked. Prices vary depending on time of day, distance, and local demand. Payment is made electronically through the app or over the phone, and cash is not accepted. Never offer a driver cash.
Tipping drivers is optional and can be done through the app after a trip. Riders using Uber Senior Accounts have the option to pay with their own credit card, a family member’s card, or an eligible Medicare Flex health benefit card for certain medical-related rides.
Closing Thoughts
Whether you’re thinking about this service for yourself or a family member, it’s important to choose a calm, low-pressure moment to talk it through. Family members should make it clear that any support is optional and can be adjusted or turned off at any time. Listening to each other’s preferences and respecting their comfort level helps ensure the solution feels empowering rather than intrusive.
Having a little extra support with transportation doesn’t mean giving up independence – it can help preserve it. Uber Senior Accounts and Simple Mode are designed to make ride-hailing easier to manage, offering optional assistance while keeping riders in control of their choices.
By simplifying how rides are arranged and tracked, these features can make it easier to keep up with everyday activities such as running errands, getting to appointments, or meeting friends. The emphasis is on flexibility and control, so transportation can work as a practical tool for staying connected and active.
Uber provides financial support to ConnectSafely. ConnectSafely is solely responsible for the content of this guide.