Rideshare service with companion drivers for individuals with Alzheimer's and dementia

Onward Door-Through-Door Companion Rideshare Technology to Improve Care for Older Adults and Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (AD/ADRD)

Phase 1 Interventional Onward Health, Inc · NCT06850870

This study is testing whether a new rideshare service with trained drivers who help older adults with Alzheimer's and dementia get to their medical appointments can reduce the number of missed visits compared to regular rideshare options.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 1
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment120 (estimated)
Ages60 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorOnward Health, Inc Industry-sponsored
Locations1 site (San Leandro, California)
Trial IDNCT06850870 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of door-through-door (D2D) rideshare services with trained companion drivers in reducing missed medical appointments among older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD). Participants aged 60 and older will be randomly assigned to either the D2D service or standard curb-to-curb (C2C) rideshare services. The study will stratify participants based on their cognitive impairment levels to assess the impact of the intervention on appointment attendance rates. The primary goal is to determine if D2D services lead to fewer missed appointments compared to C2C services.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older who have scheduled medical appointments and self-report cognitive issues or have a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or AD/ADRD.

Not a fit: Patients who are currently enrolled in another transportation study or those who are not community-dwelling may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve access to medical care for individuals with cognitive impairments, leading to better health outcomes.

How similar studies have performed: While similar transportation interventions have been explored, this specific approach using D2D rideshare services with companion drivers is relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* All participants (or their surrogate) have the capacity to agree to allow Onward service for transportation;
* have scheduled medical appointments at partner practices of Onward;
* ages 60+
* community-dwelling;
* 60 participants who self-reported cognitive problems, such as memory issue, or have mild cognitive impairment, subjective cognitive decline, or AD/ADRD diagnosis
* Resides and attends appointments in the following San Francisco Bay Area Counties (San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Sonoma)

Exclusion Criteria:

* current enrollment in another transportation study;
* already using any type of free or heavily subsized transportation service;
* enrollees with comfort care only;
* Not wheelchair bound, e.g. if using a wheelchair must be foldable and must be able to transfer
* Transient, lacking consistent long term housing
* Resides outside of the San Francisco Bay Area

Where this trial is running

San Leandro, California

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Alzheimer Disease or Associated DisorderDementiaCognitive DeclineTransportation
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.