NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – The New York State Office for the Aging has turned to technological solutions to help older adults in New York combat loneliness and to support their mental, social and physical health.
“Building on existing core services, NYSOFA began piloting a series of innovative solutions, many of which leverage technology, to connect people, provide companionship, and significantly reduce isolation and its consequences,” NYSOA Director Greg Olsen said. “We've also been collecting data on these programs – and the outcomes have exceeded our expectations."
Senator Cordell Cleare, chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Aging, held a conference with state and local leaders on Nov. 14 to discuss the “epidemic of loneliness” older adults experience.
At this meeting, Cleare helped introduce the NYSOFA Animatronic Pet Project, which has provided 24,000 plush, “lifelike” robotic pets made by the company Ageless Innovation to New York seniors.
The pilot program showed that the pets, which are designed to make realistic sounds and motions, have decreased loneliness in 70% of users and reduced pain in 75% of users, the state senate said.
“My paramount goal is to ensure that older New Yorkers are empowered every day to have access to fulfilling and spirit-raising activities from animatronic pets and technological connections to old-school games like cards, pool and chess at local Senior Centers,” Cleare said. “I am committed to fighting for even more money in the FY 2024 Budget to expand all of these worthwhile initiatives.”
The NYSOA has also continued its partnership with Intuition Robotics to bring ElliQ, “the first ever proactive and empathetic AI companion,” to New York seniors.
A report released in August from the NYSOA showed that in the pilot program, ElliQ achieved a 95% reduction in loneliness and an increase in overall well-being among participants using the platform.
“The data speaks for itself, and the stories that we’re hearing from case managers and clients around the state have been nothing short of unbelievable," Olsen said about ElliQ.
The same report showed that New York seniors using the program became very engaged, interacting with their ElliQ friend over 30 times per day, six days a week, with 75% of the interactions relating to improving their social, physical and mental health.
ElliQ can engage in a variety of activities with users, including stress reduction exercises and cognitive games.
As of Nov. 14, Intuition Robotics and the NYSOA have made 834 AI-companions available to older New Yorkers. The agency says it is continually working with local offices to identify older adults who would benefit from the technology.
“ElliQ can’t make an impact on individuals until it has been invited into the home, and the case managers and staff on the ground have been integral in educating older adults about ElliQ, supporting installations, and facilitating introductions between our team and the clients directly,” CEO and Co-Founder of Intuition Robotics Dor Skuler said.
These programs come at a time of high-alert around social isolation, with the U.S. Surgeon General issuing an advisory in May that called loneliness an “underappreciated public health crisis,” and Gov. Kathy Hochul appointing sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer as the first NY Ambassador to Loneliness in September.
Anyone interested in becoming part of a NYSOA program to combat social isolation can contact the agency to screen for eligibility.