New York State Office for Aging Helps Its Seniors Turn Their TVs into Companionship and Caregiver Support Portals with ONSCREEN

ONSCREEN, New York State Office for Aging and AgingNY are Transforming TVs into Essential Companionship, Care and Communication Portals for Seniors Across New York State

Yorba Linda, CA – April 8, 2025 – ONSCREEN, Inc., the pioneer in AI-powered and TV-based senior care technology, today announced that it is providing free senior care devices* to qualified applicants – addressing isolation, caregiver stress, and emotional wellness of older adults in New York state. The company is partnering with the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and the Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) to provide free technology that has been purpose built to reduce loneliness, keep families connected, and keep older adults healthier.  The free devices have been provided through a generous grant by the New York State Office for Aging.

More Connection, Less Worry

For many adult children, caring for their aging parents can be deeply fulfilling yet emotionally and physically demanding. ONSCREEN helps ease caregiver stress by transforming any television into a caregiving hub, offering essential features like auto-answered video calls, medication reminders, wellness checks, and companionship through Joy, an AI-powered virtual companion.

Joy proactively engages with seniors daily, based on scheduled routines set up by the family caregiver, and provides  personalized conversations, stimulating games, memory exercises, and even virtual painting sessions. By offering consistent mental stimulation and emotional support, Joy helps seniors maintain independence and reduces loneliness. Family caregivers gain peace of mind through real-time updates about their loved ones’ daily interactions with Joy, and also get the ability to see and connect with their loved ones any time, through ONSCREEN’s automated TV-based video calling.

“Keeping families connected, reducing loneliness, and easing the caregiving burden is a growing imperative for our generation,” said Costin Tuculescu, CEO of ONSCREEN. “ONSCREEN is all about keeping older adults connected with their family, using the simplest and most familiar technology – the TV.  By bringing auto-answered video calls, AI companionship, medication reminders, and even classes to the TV, we reduce loneliness, and increase peace of mind for caregivers.”

Why This Matters Now

Loneliness among seniors is linked to increased risks of dementia, heart disease, stroke, and severe emotional distress. Programs like this provide crucial connections that significantly improve older adults’ quality of life, making aging more manageable and emotionally fulfilling for both seniors and caregivers.

“ONSCREEN’s innovative TV-based approach, with their integration AI companion Joy, brings a completely new take on how to provide care and support to our quickly growing aging population,” said Rebecca Preve, Executive Director of AgingNY. “By removing the technical barriers of touch screens, apps and smaller devices, ONSCREEN has the potential to meaningfully impact many of the issues that older adults face.”

Participation and Enrollment

Devices are available for free to eligible New York residents on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will complete brief surveys at the beginning, midpoint, and conclusion of the pilot to help evaluate the technology’s impact on well-being and caregiver stress. Interested individuals can sign up at onscreeninc.com/nysofa-pilot.

For more information about ONSCREEN, visit www.onscreeninc.com.

*Availability is limited; devices will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible applicants.

About ONSCREEN: 

ONSCREEN is a leading innovator in senior care technology, providing effective, intuitive solutions to the most pressing challenges faced by families and caregivers. By leveraging advanced AI technology, ONSCREEN enables remote caregiving, reduces loneliness, and promotes healthier, happier lives for older adults. ONSCREEN supports face-to-face video calls, medication reminders, recorded wellness check-ins, and social connections. The company’s research has found 88% of customers reporting reduced loneliness, and 75% noting increased happiness among their older loved ones.