Televeda: Combating Social Isolation with Live-streaming

• Problem: Many seniors cannot afford long term care facilities and for many the only socialization is via their local community center. Even within senior living communities, over 60% are reported as suffering from loneliness. AARP has associated social isolation with premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

• Solution: Web based socialization classes. We are device-agnostic and an accessible video platform that allows seniors (typically non-tech savvy) to access live interactive fitness classes via 1 click, anywhere with instructors and fellow classmates. By working with longterm care partners, we are able to provide the classes to seniors for free. 

• Impact: 8.5 percent of people worldwide, 617 million, are aged 65 and over. This percentage is projected to jump to nearly 17 percent of the world’s population by 2050, 1.6 billion people. Public health experts claim isolation is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.

• AARP has associated social isolation with premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Holt-Lunstad et al, 2010, PLoS Medicine). Men who lived alone have a 23% increased risk for dying prematurely from any cause and 36% increased risk for cardiovascular death (Jensen et al, European Heart Journal, 2019)

• The implications of isolation vis a vis an ageing population are global: Major demographic shifts are already underway in the US, Canada, EU, Japan. We are also unprepared for increasing life expectancy rates. 

• We are tackling one of the most pressing problems of our time covering one of the largest and fastest growing demographics. In 2018 the number of people older than 64 years old, for the first time in history, surpassed the number of children under 5 years old. America’s 65-and-over population is projected to nearly double over the next three decades, from 48 million to 88 million by 2050.

• Diseases and ailments due to loneliness include high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, elevated levels of cortisol, hypertension, reduced immunity and susceptibility to illness, chronic inflammation, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontitis. This also leads to poor sleep, poorer cognitive performance, executive control and self-regulation, substance abuse and suicidal ideation.

• We are currently serving the older adult demographic and those suffering from cognitive disabilities. We have 5 enterprise clients in Phoenix, AZ who are piloting our service in their senior living communities. We will also be working in the community rec centers with the City of Chandler starting December 2019. We are trying to increase access by working with Insurance and Telecom providers.

• Many seniors cannot afford long term care facilities and for many the only socialization is via their local community center. Even seniors living in communities, over 60% are reported as suffering from loneliness. This demographic is unable to attend recreational activities due to a number of factors that range from disabilities, mobility issues, transportation, weather, exhaustion, and feelings of inadequacy in peer settings. 

• This is where live-streaming comes in. We deliver fitness and social engagement directly to seniors in the comfort of their rooms. We’re already seeing positive outcomes testing with over 300+ seniors on a weekly basis in Maricopa county. We work directly with our users, care staff and experts to design a better experience.

• Our platform allows 2-way interactive livestreaming. We engage users in face-to-face interactions rather than having them passively watch a video. It's active, accessible and simple, even for seniors who are not comfortable with technology. Our content is specially designed for seniors and community building. We track mood scores (pre and post sessions), engagement and motion to monitor improvements.

• We have developed a software based digital therapy program with high-touch support so that everyone can participate. We are leveraging WebRTC and video-voice technology in creating a program with a very high NPS score.

• For increased accessibility, we offer a web based solution. Our way of authentication and security on the backend is proprietary. We support all major browser and device types making accessibility and onboarding our top priority. Participants have joined in via their mobile devices, laptops, desktops, community Smart TV screens, etc. 

• Regarding the content of classes, we needed to be high impact in a short amount of time. The Empowered Living program (our flagship class) is the result. 60 minutes gets divided into a holistic program of music fitness, cognitive games, mindfulness and community building. The program was developed with the help of physical therapists, dance and movement experts, game designers and doctors. In our first pilot program, we saw engagement increase by 143% in the first month of usage.  

• Exercise has been shown to alleviate depression and increase serotonin in the human brain without drugs (Young, J Psychiatry Nueorosci, 2007). During activity, glutamate levels rise in the same region of the brain where stocks of the neurotransmitter have previously been found to be low in depressed patients (Craft et al, PMC, 2004). We have seen positive effects of delivering fitness and social engagement directly to seniors in the comfort of their rooms, and continue to invest in the R&D of better engagement.

• While online fitness and meditation apps have become mainstream, they are not catering to the senior demographic since the hurdles and onboarding are not as straight-forward. We have taken a strong initiative with this demographic and are working with the top senior living communities in Arizona.

• We have developed a web based solution for seniors to access 2-way interactive live-streamed classes. Our way of authentication and security on the backend is proprietary: and we make sure it’s 1 click access. We support all major browser and device types making accessibility and onboarding our top priority.

• Some of our unique technology includes our accessible design patterns, security system, engagement & onboarding system, and viable data and metrics reporting for engagement as a science.

Web based 2-way video streaming. We rely on WebRTC and make use of different encoding systems to ensure it is accessible and stable in low latency environments. We are also optimized for the majority of device types and browsers. Since we are not a software download like conventional video streaming platforms, our solution is relatively safer. We want to scale real-time socialization, not social media.

• Theory of Change: Elderly getting access to more socialization prevents ailments associated with loneliness. This alleviates healthcare and economic costs on a global scale. 

• Pilot Program: We were able to see an increase in engagement by 143% in 12 weeks. 

• Data: On average, Medicare spent an additional $134 per month, or $1,608 per year, on each of these socially isolated individuals. Extrapolated to the general elder population, that’s an additional $6.7 billion per year in spending. Isolation costs Medicare more each year than arthritis, and just a bit less than high blood pressure (AARP Study, 2017). The economic and social cost of Dementia both in the US and abroad is set to bankrupt healthcare systems and is truly an epidemic.

• Currently served 500 seniors in Maricopa County, and ongoing 80 weekly. Growth of 20% month over month. 

• 1250 users in Maricopa County by the end of this year

• In 5 years, online platform should scale to 5 million users worldwide.

• Develop a great user experience working with industry experts and educational community. 

• Scaling out a direct to home model will help with socialization for a growing population worldwide.

• Developing AI models to use facial and natural language processing for early prevention and detection.

• Lower economic strains on civil societies and reduce global healthcare costs associated with social isolation.

• Currently, 8.5 percent of people worldwide, 617 million, are aged 65 and over. This percentage is projected to jump to nearly 17 percent of the world’s population by 2050, 1.6 billion people (NIH and National Institute on Aging, 2015).

• Financial: Lonely people are unlikely to spend money investing in themselves. It  becomes a vicious circle. They have resigned socially. 

• Technical: Accessibility, networking challenges, scaleable onboarding and support

• Accessibility of the web and internet

• Financial: Working with communities (B2B) and insurance providers for pilot programs

• Technical: Scale out engineering and support teams

• Working with carriers investing in 5G for better enablement of real time communications.

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2 full-time. 6 part time, 2-3 contractors. 3 advisors. 

• Shruti Gurudanti (CEO) is a practicing corporate attorney with over 6 years of experience advising big brand clients in real-estate, retail and hospitality e.g., Hilton, Montage Hotels, 1 Hotel, etc. She lost her grandfather to Alzherimer’s and has been working on this issue since. 

• Mayank Mishra (CTO) is a Software Engineer. His employment history includes Thinkful, Trax Technologies and ADT. At Thinkful he oversaw community development. Apart from applications development, Mayank specializes in live-streaming technologies and smart-home design systems.

• Our advisors include the head of AZ Health Services, CEO of senior living community, and a Chief Medical Officer. 

• We have a vetted team of physical therapists, instructional designers, wellness experts, healthcare professionals and developers.

• City of Chandler: Using recreational centers to serve lower socio-economic groups and bring socialization to isolated seniors in the city (Dec 2019)

• Oasis Pavilion: Using music therapy and brain games to drive engagement and positive health and mental-health outcomes (Dec 2018 - Current)

• Beatitudes: Connect Independent and Assisted Living communities via virtual classes (Jan 2019 - current)

• Fellowship Square: Serves as center of community innovation providing live-stream classes to reach more individuals at scale more economically (Feb 2019 - current)

A community based problem needs a strong community based solution. We believe getting into Solve with provide us with access to partners and the best minds working on social-impact. 

We would also look for partnerships, joint studies and funding opportunities. 

The epidemic of social isolation requires working on high impact solutions immediately. The barriers to entry are high and we need all the help we can get. 

N/A

- Healthcare bodies and organizations serving the vulnerable/disabled

- Senior living communities

- Telecom providers

- Insurance companies

- Other Entrepreneurs, Academicians, Partners and Social Impact Investors. 

We would like to conduct pilot programs where possible, joint studies and potential funding.

Overall we’d like to increase our impact and help more people. We need to increase our runway to operate and scale at capacity, reach communities beyond Arizona, start investment into artificial intelligence models to treat happiness/engagement as a science. There’s a lot that has been accomplished, but there is a lot farther we need to go. These are solutions that need to be invested in today.

Many low-income and minority families live in neighborhoods that are not designed to support physical activity and healthy eating, which contributes to these populations being disproportionately affected by chronic disease. Affordable housing is a major issue, and rural access to socialization is even worse. Public health experts claim isolation is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.

Regarding specifics of prize usage:

• Single studio to stream classes to multiple locations concurrently 

• Provide enhanced metrics, data reporting, AI models to communities and other health care providers to act on.  

• Develop roster of quality class content beyond fitness (nutrition, arts, education);

• R&D in accessibility for web and telecom to reach vulnerable sections of society;

• Prepare infrastructure for the upcoming 5G Wave that will fundamentally alter real-time communications.

Overall we’d like to increase our impact and help more people. We need to increase our runway to operate and scale at capacity, reach communities beyond Arizona, start investment into artificial intelligence models to treat happiness/engagement as a science. There’s a lot that has been accomplished, but there is a lot farther we need to go. These are solutions that need to be invested in today.

Many low-income and minority families live in neighborhoods that are not designed to support physical activity and healthy eating, which contributes to these populations being disproportionately affected by chronic disease. Affordable housing is a major issue, and rural access to socialization is even worse. Public health experts claim isolation is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.

Regarding specifics of prize usage:

• Single studio to stream classes to multiple locations concurrently 

• Provide more robust metrics, data reporting, AI models to communities and other health care providers to act on.  

• Develop roster of quality class content beyond fitness (nutrition, arts, education);

• R&D in accessibility for web and telecom to reach vulnerable sections of society;

• Prepare infrastructure for the upcoming 5G Wave that will fundamentally alter real-time communications.

N/A

Overall we’d like to increase our impact and help more people. We need to increase our runway to operate and scale at capacity, reach communities beyond Arizona, start investment into artificial intelligence models to treat happiness/engagement as a science. There’s a lot that has been accomplished, but there is a lot farther we need to go. These are solutions that need to be invested in today.

Many low-income and minority families live in neighborhoods that are not designed to support physical activity and healthy eating, which contributes to these populations being disproportionately affected by chronic disease. Affordable housing is a major issue, and rural access to socialization is even worse. Public health experts claim isolation is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.

Regarding specifics of prize usage:

• Single studio to stream classes to multiple locations concurrently 

• Provide more robust metrics, data reporting, AI models to communities and other health care providers to act on.  

• Develop roster of quality class content beyond fitness (nutrition, arts, education);

• R&D in accessibility for web and telecom to reach vulnerable sections of society;

• Prepare infrastructure for the upcoming 5G Wave that will fundamentally alter real-time communications.

Overall we’d like to increase our impact and help more people. We need to increase our runway to operate and scale at capacity, reach communities beyond Arizona, start investment into artificial intelligence models to treat happiness/engagement as a science. There’s a lot that has been accomplished, but there is a lot farther we need to go. These are solutions that need to be invested in today.

Many low-income and minority families live in neighborhoods that are not designed to support physical activity and healthy eating, which contributes to these populations being disproportionately affected by chronic disease. Affordable housing is a major issue, and rural access to socialization is even worse. Public health experts claim isolation is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.

Regarding specifics of prize usage:

• Single studio to stream classes to multiple locations concurrently 

• Provide more robust metrics, data reporting, AI models to communities and other health care providers to act on.  

• Develop roster of quality class content beyond fitness (nutrition, arts, education);

• R&D in accessibility for web and telecom to reach vulnerable sections of society;

• Prepare infrastructure for the upcoming 5G Wave that will fundamentally alter real-time communications.

Overall we’d like to increase our impact and help more people. We need to increase our runway to operate and scale at capacity, reach communities beyond Arizona, start investment into artificial intelligence models to treat happiness/engagement as a science. There’s a lot that has been accomplished, but there is a lot farther we need to go. These are solutions that need to be invested in today.

Many low-income and minority families live in neighborhoods that are not designed to support physical activity and healthy eating, which contributes to these populations being disproportionately affected by chronic disease. Affordable housing is a major issue, and rural access to socialization is even worse. Public health experts claim isolation is killing as many people as obesity and smoking.

Regarding specifics of prize usage:

• Single studio to stream classes to multiple locations concurrently 

• Provide more robust metrics, data reporting, AI models to communities and other health care providers to act on.  

• Develop roster of quality class content beyond fitness (nutrition, arts, education);

• R&D in accessibility for web and telecom to reach vulnerable sections of society;

• Prepare infrastructure for the upcoming 5G Wave that will fundamentally alter real-time communications.