Researchers developing phone app to combat elderly loneliness

Research shows that chronic social isolation can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and perhaps no group is more at risk than the elderly. In response to this health crisis, Kennesaw State University researchers are developing an AI-powered tool to help older adults match and reconnect with others in meaningful, human-centered ways.

Sandrapp, short for Supporting Adults Needing Direct Relationship App, is designed to combat chronic loneliness among aging populations. Unlike traditional social platforms, Sandrapp does not focus on digital messaging or content. Instead, it uses artificial intelligence to facilitate interactions with real people who share similar values, beliefs, and life experiences.

The idea emerged during a University-led research think-tank session on health and wellness in aging communities. Paola Spoletini, a professor and associate dean of research in KSU’s College of Computing and Software Engineering (CCSE), attended the session not as a specialist in gerontology, but as someone with lived experience. Separated by the Atlantic Ocean from her mother in Italy, Spoletini began to wonder what it would look like if someone like her, sharing her mother’s interests and demeanor, could stop by to visit. Not as a professional caregiver or charity case, but as a natural connection.

That personal reflection grew into Sandrapp, a collaborative project involving Spoletini and researchers Maria Valero, Israel Sanchez Cardona, and Luisa Valentina Nino de Valladares. Their interdisciplinary expertise spans software development, psychology, usability engineering, and health technology. Valero is a faculty member in CCSE, while Sanchez Cardona and Nino de Valladares represent the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, respectively. Together, they seek to bridge emotional gaps using intelligent but invisible tech.

For Spoletini, the project holds both personal and professional significance.

“I would’ve loved to have had something like this,” she said. “It would’ve given my mother companionship and given me peace of mind. But it’s also a way to challenge how we think about designing tech for older adults. Too often, it’s built without their needs in mind.”

Valero, whose research centers on Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile health technologies, leads the app’s development. Sanchez Cardona, a psychologist focused on social determinants of health, provides insight into loneliness, isolation, and the cognitive impacts of social disconnection. Nino de Valladares contributes her expertise in human factors to ensure the tool is usable and accessible for its older audience.

Each member plays a distinct role, but they work in constant collaboration with one another and with students to ensure every design decision aligns with user needs. Three undergraduate and two graduate students are involved in weekly coordination meetings, making the project a living, breathing feedback loop.

Sandrapp is not built for chatting or content sharing. Instead, it uses AI to match older adults with volunteers, family stand-ins, or community members who mirror the social identity of a loved one. For instance, if someone’s mother prefers discussing faith with similarly minded women, the platform works to find a match who fits that specific comfort zone.

What sets Sandrapp apart is the level of intentionality. Rather than pushing features based on assumptions, the team is first gathering data through interviews with older adults, families, volunteers, and service providers. They are also analyzing reviews from existing apps to pinpoint what is missing or what works.

“We could’ve just built the app based on what we think people need,” said Valero. “But we stopped ourselves. We’re listening first. That’s where real innovation happens.”

One of the team’s most important insights is that technology alone does not solve loneliness. Too much focus on screens can worsen the problem. Sandrapp is being designed to work behind the scenes, enabling meetups rather than replacing them.

To that end, the team is exploring subtle home monitoring technologies that can detect changes in routine, like shifts in water usage or movement patterns, that could alert family members if something seems off. The goal is not surveillance, but gentle reassurance.

Nino de Valladares emphasizes that usability is essential. Many apps fail because developers assume older users will adapt. Sandrapp flips that assumption by designing with their limitations, preferences, and routines in mind, from interface design to color contrast to the size of on-screen buttons.

Sanchez Cardona sees Sandrapp not just as a tech solution, but as a health intervention.

 “Social support is one of the strongest protective factors for both mental and physical health,” he said. “We’re using this app to rebuild that support network, one meaningful connection at a time.”