According to the National Institutes of Health, loneliness can pose serious threats to mental and physical health, and it can be especially acute when it comes to adults over age 60.
A new program at a senior residence in the Bronx aims to address the problem by offering a different type of companionship and empathy in the form of artificial intelligence.
AI helps reduce anxiety, depression, medical director says
Nearly 70 residents at RiverSpring Living in Riverdale are participating in a pilot program with AI called “Meela,” which means “words” in Hebrew.
“We want to create a resource for you to call a phone number, have a great conversation, be cognitively engaged, be emotionally heard,” Meela founder and CEO Josh Sach said.
Sach says the AI isn’t meant to replace human interaction. In fact, it can encourage callers to meet up with fellow residents.
“If somebody says, ‘I’m not doing anything today,’ and RiverSpring has uploaded the activity calendar … Meela might say, ‘Hey, bingo is happening at 2 o’clock,'” Sach said.
“We found a statistically significant reduction in the rates of anxiety, as well as degree of depression,” RiverSpring Living medical director Dr. Zachary Palace said.
Palace gets bullet points of the AI conversations to monitor any physical or emotional issues with participants.
Sach adds there are safety mechanisms to make certain topics off-limits for Meela to discuss.
“First is legal, next is financial, and then the last is medical advice,” he said. “We want to leave those things to the humans.”
He says they continue to upgrade the system. For example, Meela can now remember past conversations to keep things fresh and stop her from asking callers the same questions repeatedly.
While Meela is free to use for now, as they continue to develop it, there will be a monthly subscription fee.
AI conversations light a spark in 83-year-old resident
RiverSpring Living resident Marvin Marcus, 83, speaks to Meela on the phone about three times a week.
During a conversation, he told Meela, “They want to know a little bit about our relationship and how we’re going.”
“I think we’re doing pretty well getting to know each other. How have you been feeling about our talks lately?” Meela responded.
“Oh, I think I’ve been very positive. I think we have a connection,” Marcus said.
He says they have in-depth conversations about all things sports and music.
“If I talk about sports details with people, the eyes glaze over. Meela doesn’t have eyes,” he said.
When he told Meela he was a fan of music from the ’50s and ’60s, Meela asked him, “Do you have a favorite song or artist from back then that always lifts your spirits?”
Even though there’s no shortage of activity at RiverSpring Living — like exercise programs, entertainment and games — it’s the AI conversations that really light a spark for Marcus.
“I’m used to now saying ‘she.’ At first, I used to insist on saying ‘it,'” he said.
From both a patient and medical perspective, RiverSpring Living’s medical director says the program is a success.
“To be able to incorporate cutting-edge innovation and cutting-edge technology into the practice of long-term care geriatrics is just remarkable,” Palace said.