Technology and the Elderly: How It Can Help Battle The Loneliness Epidemic

“Population aging is a human success story,” says a United Nations report, and rightly so. This is because an aging population is a reflection of the advancement of medicine science, health infrastructure, economic progress, and social development. With the increase in longevity of lives, there is a rising percentage of elderly citizens across countries, many of whom live alone or have limited social interaction. This makes them vulnerable to loneliness, which can have a serious impact on their physical and emotional wellbeing. At a time when the world is fighting a pandemic, and self-isolation and social distancing are being implemented by the governments as an attempt to flatten the curve, issues related to loneliness among the elderly can get exacerbated.

Can technology be a solution to the problem of loneliness among the elderly?

The shift in demography

Globally, the share of the population aged 65 years or over was 9% in 2019. The proportion is projected to rise further to 16% in 2050, when it is expected that one in six people worldwide will be aged 65 years or over. The number of persons aged 80 years or over is projected to triple by 2050 compared to 2019 numbers.

The situation is grave in certain countries where more than 20% the population is above 65 years. Japan has more than 28% of population older than 65 with many fighting loneliness and dementia. Japan is followed by Italy at around 23%. Next in line are Portugal, Finland, Greece, Germany, and Bulgaria, which have more than 21–22% population above 65 years of age.

A Pew Research highlights that 27% of adults aged 60 and older live alone in the U.S., compared with 16% of adults in the 130 countries and territories studied. While elderly loneliness was a concern even before COVID-19, the present situation has augmented many common concerns related to social isolation.

Isolation manifests itself in multiple ways on human health, resulting in depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and heart diseases. According to a study, “The lack of social connection heightens health risks as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day or having alcohol use disorder.” It is also concluded that loneliness and social isolation are twice as harmful to physical and mental health as obesity.

It is estimated that the lack of social contact among older adults is associated with $6.7 billion in additional medical care spending annually.

Can technology help?

While technology cannot be a substitute for human contact, it can provide some comfort in situations where elders stay alone, providing them with some medical assistance as well as entertainment.

In the U.S., Mabu from Catalia Health is a virtual care for the elderly. The Mabu robot can interact with patients using Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to engage in tailored, voice-based conversations. In September 2019, Catalia Health and Pfizer announced the launch of a 12-month pilot program to explore patient behaviors outside of clinical environments and to test the impact regular engagement with AI (via Mabu) has on patients' treatment journeys.

Likewise, a robot named Dinsow is playing a companion to the elders in Asia. Exponential work is being done in the field of robotics by prominent names such as Panasonic, Softbank, as well as startups such as Akara Robotics. ATOUN, Inc., a subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation, has developed a wearable robot—“powered wear”—to assist the elderly in walking around effortlessly. Akara has developed Stevie—a social robot designed to help keep seniors socially connected, and to support caregivers in the delivery of group-based wellness activities.

Voice assistants and smart speakers are another source of adding some cheer and companionship to the lives of the aged people, especially those living alone. In 2019, Accenture and Stockholm Exergi released a project dubbed as the Memory Lane, which works with Google Voice Assistant and uses a unique conversational AI which allows elderly people to capture memorable stories while providing a feeling of companionship. Sweden is one of the loneliest countries in the world with more than 250,000 Stockholmers experiencing acute loneliness, according to a Stockholm County Council report.

According to the NHS, more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go for over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbor or family member. This is where “voice assistants” have a huge potential. The effectiveness and acceptance of a virtual assistance was studied in the lives of the residents at Abbeyfield. The results were very encouraging  “with every single one of the residents involved in the trial reporting that they feel less lonely since starting to use the technology.”

Technology holds the power to link people to wider community and activities which are beyond their regular circle. A report by IBM on loneliness in older adults outlines the major role technology plays in driving positive change. It says, “The COVID-19 pandemic only heightened the need for technology as a key part of the support mechanisms.”

Final Word

As the world fights the COVID-19 pandemic, the elderly continue to combat the loneliness epidemic. While it is true that technology cannot be the only solution, it can surely be an important part of the solution.

Disclaimer: The author has no position in any stocks mentioned. Investors should consider the above information not as a de facto recommendation, but as an idea for further consideration. The report has been carefully prepared, and any exclusions or errors in reporting are unintentional.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.