New York State Buys Robots for Lonely Elders

More than 800 new robot buddies are going to their new homes in New York.

According to a report by the magazine, the bots were designed to help people 65 and older who live alone. ElliQ can answer questions and make small talk.

The director of the New York State Office for the Aging told The Verge last month that they were attracted to the many features of ElliQ. What matters to individuals are memories, life validation, interactions with friends and families, and overall good health and well-being.

Loneliness Epidemic

Seniors are more likely to be lonely than younger people.

The health consequences of loneliness and isolation are equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, according to a press briefing published last month.

There are many ways family and community members can support a lonely elder, from starting new hobbies with them to asking them to teach you a new skill.

It's easy to imagine that ElliQ will help lonely seniors, but what about your own mental health? Asking city employees to do welfare checks is cheaper and more effective than talking to our neighbors.

I wonder if the money spent on 800 robot could have been better spent on real humans.

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