Robot Pets and VR Headsets Can Reduce Older Adults’ Loneliness. So Why Don’t They?

Older Americans face a growing loneliness epidemic. Startups are finding ways technology can help. The hard part is bringing them together.

The U.S. globally has the highest percentage of older adults living alone, according to Pew Research Center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have long warned that social isolation contributes to numerous health problems, including dementia and depression.