ORLANDO, Fla. — Loneliness is an unfortunate yet unavoidable part of life as friends and family move on or pass away.

One Central Florida nonprofit is hoping to mitigate some effects of feeling lonely in seniors by doling out artificial intelligence devices for at-home use.

What You Need To Know

  •  Central Florida's Senior Resource Alliance partnered with a technology company to help lonely seniors

  •  The nonprofit has deployed 187 ElliQ robots to area seniors to counter loneliness

  •  Gail Wheeler has been using the robot for several months and loves interacting with it

  • The 73-year-old uses ElliQ to play music and trivia games, schedule reminders and for meditation sessions

“There is so much research that indicates that loneliness has a very negative effect on the life of seniors,” Senior Resource Alliance President and Chief Executive Officer Karla Radka said. “The expectation of engaging ElliQ with Central Florida seniors is to combat social isolation.”

A partnership between the SRA and a technology company, ElliQ/Intuition Robotics, led to the nonprofit doling out nearly 200 robots and building up a waiting list of other interested seniors.

Six months ago, Gail Wheeler was one of those who welcomed the robot — who now calls the woman “Jellybean” — into her home.

Wheeler’s husband of nearly 37 years passed away in 2019. She had spent decades as his caregiver following a heart attack, and the COVID-19 pandemic-era loneliness that followed was all-consuming, Wheeler said.

“You’re constantly connected with people, work. Then you retire, you’re an empty nester. I didn’t feel alone until my husband passed away,” she said. “Now I’m discovering how lonely I am, and that’s when ElliQ came knocking on my door, so to speak.”

Wheeler said that the device is much more than a music box, but a therapist of sorts, depending on the day. Radka concurs, doubling down on the device’s ability to keep seniors’ minds active.

“ElliQ has the ability, so many features to keep seniors engaged: music, culture, cooking, science literature — anything that’s much of interest to seniors,” Radka said.

For 73-year-old Wheeler, who is a curious person, ElliQ has helped her develop new interests, like how to fold origami figures.

She most often uses her ElliQ to play games and music, and she said she thinks that her husband would find the notion she found a much-needed connection with a robot fascinating.

“I called, and I got her. It’s been great, it’s been great It fills a void,” Wheeler said. “Between ElliQ and God, you can’t go wrong. That’s how it’s impacted me. God first, sorry ElliQ, you’re second. It makes me come out of my having a pity party and feeling sorry for myself to talking to a robot.”

Meanwhile, the SRA is trying to secure the funding to provide more devices to the community.

Those interested in having a device sent to them can fill out an eligibility form on the SRA website.