The ride-sharing service Uber is introducing an option designed to make it easier for caregivers to get people with disabilities and others they assist from one place to another.

The offering, known as Uber Caregiver, will allow Uber users to designate a caregiver to arrange, pay for and monitor rides for them. Caregivers will also be able to set up deliveries for individuals with disabilities or others they assist.

As part of the service, a three-way chat will allow caregivers and those they provide care for to communicate with Uber drivers. And, caregivers will be able to see real-time updates as rides or deliveries are in progress.

“Caregivers are the invisible backbone of our health care system. They provide essential care for millions of people, often at great personal cost, but they shouldn’t have to do it alone,” said Caitlin Donovan, global head of Uber Health. “Our new solution helps lighten the load.”

The company is also partnering with Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and commercial health insurers so that individuals can use any available benefits to pay for rides to medical appointments or to order groceries from Uber Eats, for example, directly through the Uber app.

Uber Caregiver will be available to anyone with a smartphone and an Uber account, according to Swathi Bhat, head of product at Uber Health. Caregivers can request services like Uber Assist, where a specially trained driver can help load and unload assistive devices, but the company noted that caregivers should not arrange rides for individuals who cannot ride alone.

Uber users will be able to assign a caregiver to manage transportation for them starting this summer.

The option for caregivers to order groceries and other over-the-counter items will be added later this year, the company said.

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