The Problem We Are Solving:
The lack of transportation options for people with higher needs (e.g. aging seniors, outpatients, or children) that allows caregivers to feel safe and in control while providing caregivers flexibility.
What the Data Says
The National Alliance for Caregiving reports an estimated 34.2 million Americans provide unpaid care to an older adult. 60% of caregivers are female and 49 years old on average. 78% help with transportation. 60% report having to make a workplace accommodation as a result of caregiving. (1)
From 2008 to 2017, the population of people over the age of 65 has grown substantially. In 2008, there were 37.2 million people over 65. That number grew to 49.5 million by 2017. All states saw an aging population but California, Florida, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania had the most older adults as of 2017.
Change in 65+ population, 2008-2017
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(Raw data)
Additionally, the National Institute of Aging (NIA) has projected that the population of people over 65 will grow to grow to 88 million by 2050. (2)
People are living longer, but that does not necessarily mean that they are living healthier. The increase in our aging population presents many opportunities and also several public health challenges that we need to prepare for. – NIA Director Richard J. Hodes, M.D.
Primary Research:
Personal experience and gut instinct tell us the lack of transportation options for people with higher needs is a real problem but we also confirmed the problem with research. A survey was sent to a to a targeted email list of known caregivers as well as distributed via social media. We had nearly 400 participants from all over the country.
First, we gauged familiarity with ridesharing. Nearly everyone had personally used a regular ridesharing service in the past.
When asked about using a ride-sharing service for a loved one, such as transporting them to a medical appointment, most respondents said they would feel safer if the driver was medically trained and the ride was video-recorded.
To further understand the need, we also asked participants if there was ever a time where they were unable to drive a loved one to an appointment. Nearly half said yes. When asked to qualify their answer most said they resorted to asking someone else for help, or worse, they delayed care by rescheduling or cancelling the appointment.
Key Processes Impacted:
Current Process
New Process
How We Will Persuade Change:
We will rely heavily on a digital marketing strategy and key partnerships to persuade our target customers that CareCar is the easy and safe solution to their transportation needs.
With an older target demographic, Facebook will be a hub for our digital marketing outreach efforts. Influencer campaigns and a referral program will be key channels to drive word-of-mouth. Search engine marketing is also important for reaching people searching for safe transportation options.