Society of Certified Senior Advisors: Turning Living Rooms Into Senior Centers

Highly interactive in-home technology brings the senior center to you–possibly for free.

Exercise classes, art therapy, tech education, good conversation. Senior centers provide a lot of value to people who might otherwise be spending most of their time alone. And we know that’s important because social isolation is hazardous to mental and physical health.

But what happens when older adults don’t live near a quality senior center, can’t get themselves there, or just aren’t inclined to leave the comfort of home? These days, we have the technology to bring the senior center to seniors, wherever they are, through in-home devices, personal robots, and live classes developed by and for older adults.

This tech isn’t about safety or fall monitoring, but it is about health: social, physical, and emotional health. Three services–Uniper Care, ElliQ, and GetSetUp–exemplify how some companies are focusing on health while re-inventing the traditional senior center.

Get Connected

It’s never been easier for older adults to enjoy all the benefits of senior centers from their living rooms. But that’s only true for those who have Internet access at home–and nearly 22 million older Americans don’t.

AgingConnected, a program of OATS from AARP, gets seniors online by connecting them with affordable Internet service. Visit their website to learn about what’s available in your area.

Perhaps the best news is that many people can access this tech for free through local Areas Agencies on Aging, Medicare, libraries, brick-and-mortar senior centers, and more. Read on to find out how.

Uniper Care

Uniper Care describes itself as “your virtual senior center” and a “HIPAA-compliant digital health service for older adults reinventing the way we age.” Available to people 60 and older, Uniper Box is a device that connects to any TV, with a camera and a simple remote control that includes voice activation. Uniper Care programming is also available via an app on smartphones and tablets.

The two major elements of Uniper Care’s appeal are the interface’s simple design tailored toward older adults and the big selection of interactive options. Users can take live classes on a variety of subjects, join peer discussion groups, play group games, video chat with family members and friends, and even connect to telehealth appointments.

New users can get started in four steps: enroll, get the Uniper Box installed, set it up with personal preferences, and participate from home. Programs are offered in different languages, and the help desk is tailored to older adults.

Individuals can join a direct-to-consumer program called Uniper Everyday for $450/year ($47.50/month). But you may already have free access to Uniper Care through organizations where you’re a member, including Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs), Veterans Affairs, managed care organizations (MCOs), Area Agencies on Aging, and community-based and religious organizations. Contact your local ADRC to ask for more information.

ElliQ

ElliQ calls itself “a voice operated care companion that empowers healthy, happy independence at home.” ElliQ sits on a tabletop. A phone-sized screen display accompanies a goblet-shaped element that lights up and moves in a way that evokes a human talking. The device, a product of Intuition Robotics, is AI-enabled, HIPAA compliant, and encrypted. The only things users need to get started are a power outlet and a WiFi connection.

Marketed to people over age 60, ElliQ can carry on a natural-language conversation on any topic in a woman’s voice. “She” can offer medication reminders, health tips, and mindfulness exercises. She can also call up trivia, games, jokes, and news. Users can work with ElliQ to create a digital memoir. And the robot helps you easily make video calls and send messages to contacts, all with natural voice commands.

“There’s nothing mind boggling about any part of her,” said one user who accessed ElliQ through her local ADRC in Broward County, Florida. “She gives me instructions on what to do, all of which is very simple.”

The difference between ElliQ and other voice-activated AI companions like Alexa is that ElliQ “exudes caring,” said Charlotte Mather-Tayor, CEO of the Broward County Area Agency on Aging. The little robot is designed to have empathetic conversations with people experiencing isolation and “turn them around from feeling really maybe despondent to being very positive,” according to Mather-Taylor.

To purchase ElliQ on your own, expect to pay $50/month for an annual subscription, plus a $250 enrollment fee. But ElliQ partners with Area Agencies on Aging to provide their robots and subscriptions for free. Use this tool to find out if your local Agency can connect you with ElliQ at no cost.

GetSetUp

GetSetUp says it was “created by older adults, to help people 55+ learn new skills, connect with others, and unlock new life experiences.” Multiple live classes and workshops take place simultaneously at just about any time of day. GetSetUp reaches 160 countries, so they’re active in your time zone no matter where you’re living or traveling.

Popular learning categories range from cooking to travel to creativity to business. On a recent Friday morning, live classes included “How to Back Up Your iPhone and iPad Photos on iCloud,” “Sun, Surf, and Salutations: A California-Inspired Yoga Class,” and “Future of Travel: Innovations that Will Change the World.” All classes are led by GetSetUp community members who apply to share their skills and knowledge through interactive workshops.

Whether they’re aware of it or not, millions of Americans already have full access to GetSetUp for free through their Medicare Advantage or Supplement plans, local libraries, senior centers, or other community and government organizations. With organizational access, you can choose from over 500 free classes each month, and your local organization or Medicare provider may offer their own special classes, too. Check your eligibility at the GetSetUp website. Even if you’re not eligible through an organization, anyone can sign up for free and access 10 live classes each month.

The bad news? There’s no excuse now. If starting a yoga practice or learning how to organize your photos has been in the back of your mind, it’s all just a voice command away.