With frightening rates of COVID-19 in many nursing homes and retirement communities, a number of elderly Americans have moved in with their children. But to protect everyone’s mental health, some have taken up residence in newly built “in-law flats” – self-contained homes in the back garden.

Finding a suitable caregiver can be time-consuming, complex, and impersonal. The Dwell at Home app looks to solve that by connecting elderly people in the US with like-minded caregivers, giving young people flexible work options and helping to alleviate loneliness among aging Americans.

The gig economy has enabled people to get almost everything they could want on-demand, but for those who are less tech-savvy, analog methods of service still prevail. Papa connects students with seniors, who can do everything from taking on odd-jobs to providing much-needed companionship.

Whether due to divorce, bereavement, or family relocation, loneliness is an everyday issue for many American Boomers. But as members of this aging cohort sharpen their tech skills, they’re being exposed to apps and devices that help them establish new connections both online and IRL.