Flexible work hours are important to caregivers—the majority of whom juggle a job or other responsibilities. Caregivers to older adults work tirelessly to keep loved ones in their homes for as long as possible and may miss sleep because of hands-on care. That's why 57% of Lyft drivers are caregivers.

"I’ve been driving with Lyft for the last five years and the flexibility has given me the time I need to take care of my elderly mom and my son in college," said Slavianka T., a Massachusetts Lyft driver.

Slavianka's mom is 78 years old and needs daily help getting to her doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping, and other errands she just wouldn't be able to do on her own. "Without the flexibility, I can’t imagine being able to be there for my family like this,” Slavianka said.

According to the 2022 Lyft economic impact report,¹ of those Lyft drivers who also are caregivers:

• 96% say app-based work gives them the freedom and flexibilty to work around their other commitments
• 78% say app-based work is better for them because they have difficultly working a job with a set schedule

"Caregivers are the backbone of our society, yet the unpredictable nature of caring for a child or aging parent—or both—requires optimum flexibility," said NCOA President and CEO Ramsey Alwin.

The opportunity to earn income in a truly flexible way, such as with Lyft, is critically important for supporting those who take care of others.” 

A 2022 Progressive Policy Institute report found American workers provide more than 800 million hours of unpaid care each week.² That finding underscores the need for flexible work hours.

Learn more from this snapshot of Lyft drivers who are caregivers.

Sources

1. 2022 Lyft Economic Impact Report. Found on the internet at https://www.lyft.com/impact/economic-impact-report

2. Michael Mandel. Platform Work and the Care Economy. Progressive Policy Institute. November 2022. Found on the internet at https://www.progressivepolicy.org/publication/platform-work-and-the-care-economy/