Can AI prevent loneliness? It does in this mentor program for older adults and kids.

Dana Griffin was raised by her grandparents in the Transylvania region of Romania, and she continued to gravitate towards older adults for advice on everything from her career to dating even after she moved to the United States and went to college.

“I grew up in an environment that revered elders, and there are still many countries that are like that,” said Griffin, now 42. “And I realized that is not a thing in the States.”

After her closest mentor and mother figure, Linda, died of brain cancer in her 60s, Griffin said it prompted her to shift from her career in advertising and data to create something in Linda’s memory — and to make sure every young person had someone that special in their life.

She co-founded Eldera in 2020 as the pandemic was starting and people needed connection. Eldera is now an artificial-intelligence-driven company that pairs adults age 60 and older with children age 5 to 18 for weekly video chats centered on mentoring.

“Young people really need a kind, caring adult who shows up for them, listens to them and finds them interesting,” said Griffin, who is also Eldera’s chief executive.

Meanwhile, the graying of the global population creates a rich resource for Eldera. The number of people age 60 and over worldwide is projected to nearly double by 2050 to around 2.1 billion, according to the United Nations.

“We think of older adults as an incredible — and the only — growing natural resource in society,” Griffin said. “They’re brilliant, and they have time on their hands, and there’s this incredibly human need to leave the world a better place — and they all have it.”

The mentors also find meaning and purpose in the conversations.

Murdo Morrison, 74, sees his weekly video conferences with his 11-year-old South Korean mentee as breaking down stereotypes of age and culture.

“When you meet someone face to face, you’re no longer a stereotype,” Morrison said. “The age difference fades into the background — it doesn’t matter. It’s not just intergenerational, it’s cross-cultural communication, too.”

For Ellen Julian, 67, being a mentor felt comfortable, as she had also guided young professionals through her career as a psychometrician who administered tests such as the Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT.

She currently mentors three kids through Eldera, which she credits with helping her gain insight into younger generations, keep regularly scheduled social time in her life, and make more friends and connections.

“It’s pure joy at this point,” Julian said. “I think these kids will be in my life forever.”

Eldera currently has almost 3,000 pairs of mentors and kids — and a waiting list of more than 900 kids looking for mentors. To qualify, mentors must pass a background check and be 60 years or older.

“Older adults are the ones who need convincing that they are in fact interesting to a young person and that they have something to give,” Griffin said. “Older adults feel really engaged and excited and interesting when they mentor a kid.”

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