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I just ran across a service out there named ‘GogoGrandparent.” Their website promises they give seniors access to services that keep them independent.
It seems they make it easier for people who aren’t tech-savvy to call an Uber or Lyft, order groceries, or do other chores. Their website says, “Our innovative GoGoGrandparent technology enhances the reliability and usability of partners like Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, and others, ensuring seniors can live independently in their homes for as long as possible.”
I saw a thread on Reddit that showed how a GoGoGrandparent call will look to an Uber driver. The call is identified as coming from GoGoGrandparent. The drivers seem to take these calls in stride, although they point out that a person without a smartphone won’t know the Uber or Lyft is coming. They just wait in the pickuup spot. Personally, I’ve had drivers go to the wrong pickup spot, so I don’t know how that would work…but it’s not frequent. The drivers say that some older patrons give them cupcakes and cash tips, which they appreciate.
The AI overview says it “is a premium service that adds a per-minute fee and sometimes a membership cost to the standard Uber or Lyft fare. GoGoGrandparent provides phone-based assistance and other services for seniors who may not use smartphones, making it a convenience-based service rather than a cost-saving option.”
I can see where this service would be extremely valuable to some people. But I have three quibbles about the service:
(1) The name is awful! Not all older people are grandparents. And the name “GoGoGrandparent” seems to b gently teasing their clients, who may be mobility challenged. The illustrations on the site show stereotypes of older people, smiling, with white hair.
I notice that the website itself uses the term “Gogo” without the word “grandparent.” Maybe they intend to rebrand more broadly. In fact, at one point the website refers to “seniors and disabled people.” A lot of people assume most seniors are disabled, when in fact most are not. It would be nice if there were a more neutral term. And perhaps they’ll rebrand. In fact…
(2) Why is the service restricted to seniors? Lots of people of all ages may need this service if they’re visually impaired or have other issues that interfere with using a smartphone.
(3) Finally, the service will eventually be outdated. Elsewhere, I’ve written about the fact that tech-challenges are cohort-based rather than age-based. As this cohort ages, people over 65 will be right at home with all kinds of tech.
Today, a 75-year-old would have been born in 1949 or 1950 (depending on the month). In 1984, when Apple aired its famous SuperBowl commercial, they’d have been in their mid-thirties. That commercial introduced the new PC and revolutionized the online world. They wouldn’t have learned computer systems in school, but they’d probably face technology on the job. In their thirties, they’d be learning tech.
Someone who’s 55 will be 75 twenty years from now. They were born in 1970 and they were 14 when that commercial was aired. If they went to college, they couldn’t escape tech. In the 1990s websites became common. Smartphones became popular around 2010, when this generation was in their 40s. It’s hard to believe they didn’t learn to use them.
At 75, twenty years from now, they’ll be right at home with ordering by phone. They’ll order everything from Ubers to dinners.
True, some people will still be challenged, but it won’t be because they’re old. They’ll have other issues.
So I was a bit disappointed to come across a service with this ageist brand, with the word “grandparent” in the title. I’ve known lots of people over 65 who aced their smartphones…and some younger people who were proud to be Luddites. It’s a little sad to see the stereotypes preserved, even though the service will undoubtedly be valuable to many people of *all* ages.
