Kennesaw State students develop app to combat loneliness in older adults


 

Kennesaw State University researchers said they're developing a way to battle loneliness in older adults.

What we know:

Research shows that chronic social isolation can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to KSU researchers.

The College of Computing and Software Engineering said students created an artificial intelligence-powered app to connect the elderly with people who share common values.

The app works to create interactions with real people who share similar values, beliefs, and life experiences. The app is called "SandRAPP," which is short for supporting adults needing direct relationship app.

The team of 4 working to build the app said they were inspired by a Kennesaw State professor who talked about the struggles her mom faced being far away from family.

Paola Spoletini, assistant dean of the college, talked with the group about how her mom wanted someone to stop by her home in Italy since her daughter was an ocean away. Spoletini said it needs to be more of a friendship than a caretaker situation.

What they're saying:

""I would’ve loved to have had something like this. It would’ve given my mother companionship and given me peace of mind," she said. "But it’s also a way to challenge how we think about designing tech for older adults. Too often, it’s built without their needs in mind."

The designers said they want to use technology to solve the problem, but if the app doesn't push in-person contact, it could actually worsen the problem.

"Social support is one of the strongest protective factors for both mental and physical health," said Israel Sanchez Cardona, one of the app designers. "We’re using this app to rebuild that support network, one meaningful connection at a time."

The team is also working on a feature that could detect changes in the user's routine to alert family members if something seems off.

What we don't know:

The app is not available yet and there's no timeline for when people can download it. 

The Source: Information for this article came from Kennesaw State's website. 

Kennesaw State University