Proactive Care Companion Technology for older adults

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) brings EllieQ Proactive Care Companion Technology to older adults. This partnership aims to help older adults age in place with innovative support and program offerings to combat loneliness and social isolation.

NYSOFA-ElliQ partnership joins the lineup of major NYSOFA initiatives by working with local offices for the aging and partners to identify older adults who would most benefit from the new technology. NYSOFA is delivering voice-operated smart technology into the homes of over 800 older adults in a comprehensive effort to battle social isolation and support aging in place.

ElliQ is made specifically for older adults to support independence at home. ElliQ is designed to foster independence and provide support for older adults through daily check-ins, assistance with wellness goals and physical activities, connection to family and friends, and more using voice commands and/or on-screen instructions.

Unlike many other technologies, which are reactive to commands, ElliQ proactively suggests activities and initiates conversations, building context through artificial intelligence (AI) to inform follow-up conversations that create a sense of relationship with the artificial intelligence. According to the NYSOAF, users have an average of 20 daily interactions.

In 2017, the U.S. Surgeon General declared social isolation to be a “global epidemic”. During this time while older adults are at an increased risk for loneliness and social isolation, ElliQ offers another form of companionship, supplementing traditional, in-person support.