Aging in Place AI

I visualize a time when we will be to robots what dogs are to humans, and I’m rooting for the machines.

~ Claude Shannon

Aging in Place

My main concern with the concept of aging in place is the exact same fundamental argument of the critics–namely, isolation. The framing of the problem can be summed up in an equation:

Aging demographic + Obsolete Architectural Design + Limited Technology Skills x Suburban Isolation = Trouble in Paradise

Unpacking this equation

Aging Demographic- It’s a well-established fact that 10,000 baby boomers are reaching the age of 65 every day and will until the year 2030. This is a demographic transition, and the U.S. Census shows that by 2030, all the baby boomers will be older than age 65. One in every five residents will be retirement age.

Obsolete Architectural Design- Baby Boomers live in homes built in the 1950s for GIs returning home from the war. Homes designed for young healthy people raising families with large lawns, deep in auto-dependent suburbs, washer and dryer downstairs, narrow doorways, and bedroom/bath upstairs.

Limited Technology Skills- Seniors and Boomers are the only generations now alive who are not “digital natives” and the *myth is most are technophobic.

Suburban Isolation- Many Boomers (77%) live either in the suburbs or rurally far away from goods and services and are auto-dependent.

The sum of all these parts does certainly point to the potential for social isolation and the public health risks associated with it.

Hello ElliQ / The sidekick for Healthier Happier Aging

My hope and wish is that technology will in part, help solve the isolation factor of aging in place. There is reason to believe that it will. For example, Intuition Robots, founded in 2016, is a company that is innovating its way to AI solutions that promise to help seniors stay connected and engage in healthy behaviors. Co-founder and CEO Dor Skuler called its debut product, ElliQ, “a sidekick for happier aging.”

The website states: ElliQ is best suited for older adults who spend most of their day at home but would enjoy some company throughout the day. Older adults that feel they can use the extra companionship and the right encouragement to be more active throughout their day.

What can ElliQ help me with?

COMPANIONSHIP & ENTERTAINMENT

Conversation

News

Inspirational quotes

Weather

Interesting facts

Sports updates

Music

Holiday celebrations

Jokes

Games

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Daily check-ins

Tracking of measurements

Set and track your wellness goals

Physical activity videos

Assessment of general health, sleep, pain, anxiety, depression

Cognitive games

Mindfulness, stress reduction, and breathing activities

CONNECTION TO LOVED ONES & OUTSIDE WORLD

Messaging (voice, text,

photo) with loved ones

Notifying loved ones on

health matters (with your consent)

Video calls

Connected picture frame

Memory sharing

Digital greeting cards

ASSISTANCE WITH DAILY ACTIVITIES

Reminders

Timers

Local search for professionals

Book transportation

If this little glowing AI robot companion can do all it’s designed to, this will be a real step in the direction of solving a problem where people are–at home, aging in place. It may not be the “right place”, but this technology is seeking to solve real problems that scale in a world where most of us live.

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*Pew Research data show that 68% of seniors own a smartphone, 58% use social media, and 11% use their phones as the primary way of accessing the internet.

ElliQ is a friendly presence in your daily life. Engaging you in conversation, motivating you to adopt healthier habits, surprising you with jokes and suggestions. Your personal sidekick on the journey to age independently.

~ ElliQ.com

Note: ElliQ + Loved One (or You) = Inter-dependence for Aging in Place Successfully