Social isolation can happen when someone lacks social contact and doesn't have many people, if any at all, to regularly interact with.
"Everyone needs social connections to survive and thrive. But as people age, they often find themselves spending more time alone. Being alone may leave older adults more vulnerable to loneliness and social isolation, which can affect their health and well-being,". "Studies show that loneliness and social isolation are associated with higher risks for health problems such as heart disease, depression, and cognitive decline.
Indeed, National Institute on Aging states that social isolation specifically can be bad for brain health — posing a higher risk for dementia, including and especially for Alzheimer's disease. A few years ago, Dr. Vivek Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general, was so concerned about social isolation's impact on public health thatSimilar to digital assistants such as Alexa on an Amazon Echo and Siri on an Apple Homepod, ElliQ is a voice-operated gadget that interacts with a human user.ElliQ was specifically designed to provide stimulation for, make small talk with, and encourage activity in seniors. The device does this by proactively speaking up and engaging with people.