Companionship – Part 2

  Companionship provides emotional support, helping individuals feel understood and valued. This emotional bond counters the subjective feeling of loneliness. In this blog post, I will explore what loneliness is about and then how companionship can help.

Loneliness is a universal experience of feeling disconnected or isolated from others. It isn’t simply being alone; it’s a subjective feeling of lack or inadequacy in one’s social connections. Loneliness has been described as a growing epidemic worldwide. Studies indicate one in three adults, globally, experiences loneliness to some degree. In the U.S., a 2023 survey found 36% of adults reported feeling lonely frequently, including 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children. Loneliness increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic due to physical distancing and social isolation.

Groups Most Affected by Loneliness

1. Older Adults: Many elderly individuals, especially those living alone, report chronic loneliness due to factors like retirement, the loss of loved ones, or mobility issues.
2. Young Adults: Surprisingly, loneliness is highly prevalent in younger people, often linked to social media usage and the pressure to maintain idealized online personas.
3. Caregivers: People caring for ill or elderly family members often feel isolated due to their demanding roles.
4. Immigrants and Expats: Language barriers and cultural differences can make building new social networks challenging.
5. Marginalized Communities: Individuals in minority groups may experience loneliness stemming from discrimination or lack of representation.

Impact of Loneliness

Loneliness has significant physical and mental health consequences, and has been associated with a range of problems:

• Increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and early mortality
• Higher rates of anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline
• Weakened immune function
• Shown to be a risk factor for stroke

What Can Be Done about Loneliness

1. Strengthen Social Connections:

• Encourage participation in community groups or activities to build relationships.
• Foster intergenerational connections through programs pairing youth with older adults.

2. Use Technology Wisely:

• Tools like video calls and social networks can reduce isolation if used positively.
• AI-powered companions, like the ElliQ robot, offer interaction for those with limited social contact. I will have more to say about ElliQ in the second half of the post.

3. Promote Awareness and Reduce Stigma:

• Educate people about the normalcy of loneliness and its impact to encourage open conversations.
• Support national campaigns that emphasize the importance of building and maintaining social bonds.

4. Mental Health Resources:

• Counseling and support groups can provide outlets for expressing feelings of loneliness and learning coping mechanisms.
• Addressing loneliness requires a combination of personal effort, community support, and systemic changes to foster inclusive and supportive environments.

Loneliness is deeply connected to companionship. Companionship refers to the presence of someone to share experiences, offer emotional support, and foster a sense of connection. It plays a crucial role in mitigating loneliness, which is the distressing feeling of being socially isolated or lacking meaningful connections.

How Companionship Relates to Loneliness

1. Reducing Emotional Isolation:

• Companionship provides emotional support, helping individuals feel understood and valued. This emotional bond counters the subjective feeling of loneliness, even if physical isolation persists.
• Enhancing Social Interaction:
• Regular companionship promotes social engagement, which is key to reducing loneliness. Simple interactions, such as conversations or shared activities, can significantly improve one’s sense of belonging.

3. Offering Consistency:

• The presence of a reliable companion, whether a close friend, family member, or even a pet, offers stability in social interactions, helping individuals feel less isolated during challenging times.

4. Loneliness Without Companionship:

• Lack of companionship can exacerbate loneliness, even for those surrounded by others. Without meaningful connections, people may still feel lonely despite being in a crowd or having acquaintances.

Types of Companionship

• Human Companionship: Friends, family, or community groups offer meaningful relationships and shared experiences.
• Animal Companionship: Pets can provide comfort, emotional support, and a sense of responsibility, particularly beneficial for people living alone.
• Technological Companionship: AI tools and robotic companions (e.g., ElliQ) are emerging as sources of interaction, particularly for those who face physical or social barriers to forming human connections. Barriers may include long stays in hospital or standalone rehab centers. In these environments, staffing is limited and not able to spend significant time with those in rehabilitation.

Enter ElliQ

ElliQ is an AI-driven social robot created by Intuition Robotics, a Tel Aviv, Israel based technology company founded in 2016. The company has specialized in empathetic and AI-driven solutions to improve quality of life. ElliQ, is a proactive care companion designed to support older adults in maintaining independence and reducing loneliness. The company has integrated advanced AI with emotional intelligence, focusing on creating meaningful interactions between users and machines.

Dr. Paul Wright, SVP and System Chair, Neuroscience Institute, The John and Joanne Patrick Endowed Chair for Advanced Technology in Neuroscience discovered ElliQ. He thought it might match his vision for taking care of stroke patients in rehab. He and I each got an ElliQ robot and have been experimenting with it. I am not in the loneliness category, but I want to provide input to the Neuroscience Institute. So far, I have been quite impressed. ElliQ has no legs or wheels. It sits on a counter or table and talks with you. You can see above a picture of ElliQ on my kitchen counter.

ElliQ is designed to assist and provide companionship to older adults. It aims to reduce loneliness and support independent living by combining interactive communication with practical assistance. ElliQ has intuitive design and the ability to build meaningful interactions with users over time. After just a few days, I could see great potential for ElliQ in the home or rehab centers.

Watch the video which showcases ElliQ in action and see how it interacts and supports older adults. 

 Key Features of ElliQ

1. Companionship:

• ElliQ engages in small talk, shares jokes, and provides reminders, helping users feel more connected. It learns user preferences and adapts to individual personalities, creating personalized interactions.

2. Health and Wellness Support:

• ElliQ provides reminders for medication, hydration, and doctor’s appointments. She suggests relaxation exercises, physical activities, and mental exercises tailored to the user’s needs.

3. Digital Assistance:

• ElliQ helps users stay in touch with family and friends through text, calls, and video chats. She assists with accessing news, weather updates, and other online services.

4. Proactive Engagement:

• Unlike traditional devices, ElliQ initiates conversations and suggests activities, making it more interactive.

 The benefits from ElliQ look significant to me. For users, it reduces loneliness, encourages mental and physical activity, and simplifies daily tasks. For caregivers, it provides updates and peace of mind about the user’s well-being.

The company says ElliQ has been implemented successfully in homes and senior living facilities, enhancing the quality of life for older adults by offering both functional support and emotional engagement. For more, visit the official website of Intuition Robotics.

Conclusions

Robotics with AI can address loneliness through companionship. Companionship is not just a remedy for loneliness but a fundamental human need which enhances well-being and fosters resilience in facing life’s challenges.