Florida State University · Funded by the Humana Foundation
Every community has room for one more. Finding it shouldn't be the hard part.
ALCOVE is a research project building an AI concierge that helps older adults living alone find regular group activities that actually fit their life, from volunteering to exercise classes to shared-interest groups, and stay with them as they follow through.
“I sang in a church choir for thirty years. I don't drive anymore, and I don't know anybody at the new place.”
ALCOVE finds
Golden Voices Singalong
- Where
- Gadsden County Senior Center
- When
- Thursdays, 10:00 – 11:30 am
- Getting there
- On the bus line · no experience needed
Chosen because it's singing in a group, it's reachable without a car, and it happens every week, so there's a reason to go back.
01 The problem
Loneliness is a health problem, not just a sad one.
Social isolation among older adults is linked to depression, cognitive decline, poorer chronic disease outcomes, and higher mortality risk.
Volunteering and community participation are a proven way back. But the people who need them most are often the hardest to reach: older adults living alone in rural, minority, and low-income communities. For them, the opportunities are hard to find, hard to get to, and hard to keep up with. Most digital tools hand people a list and walk away.
ALCOVE is built for what happens after the list: understanding what someone actually enjoys, what they can physically manage, how they get around, and what stops them from going, and then staying in the conversation.
Estimated excess annual Medicare spending associated with social isolation
Older adults in the North Florida pilot study
Months of development, co-design, and pilot testing
Age of participants, all living alone and at elevated risk of isolation
02 The system
How ALCOVE works
Four steps, in order, every time someone asks for something to do.
It learns what fits
A short, plain-language conversation captures interests, physical ability, transportation access, social preferences, and personal goals: asked one question at a time, not as a form.
It searches real local opportunities
A curated database of North Florida activities, built from public listings and entered directly by senior centers, nonprofits, and faith-based groups, then reviewed and validated so the details are current and correct.
It checks its own work
Before any suggestion reaches a person, a second AI reviewer evaluates it for accuracy, relevance, safety, and plain readability. Suggestions that don't pass don't get sent.
It stays with you
Reminders, encouragement, and practical problem-solving when something gets in the way: a ride falls through, the weather turns, or walking in alone feels like too much.
03 The research
The study
A two-phase, mixed-methods pilot designed with older adults, not just for them.
ALCOVE is developed through focus groups and iterative co-design workshops with older adults and community partners, then tested in a single-arm pilot with approximately 50 community-dwelling adults aged 65 and over across North Florida. Findings will inform a future NIH-funded randomized controlled trial.
Phase 1Oct – Dec 2026
Listening first
Focus groups with older adults on the real barriers to social and volunteer participation. A Community Advisory Board is established, and construction of the community activity database begins.
Phase 2Dec 2026 – Mar 2027
Designing together
Four iterative co-design workshops shape the system's features, tone, and recommendations. The AI system is built and tested internally against synthetic user profiles, followed by a usability evaluation with older adults.
Phase 3Apr 2027 – Mar 2028
The pilot
Approximately 50 participants use ALCOVE over six months on their own phone or tablet. Weekly check-ins track activity, mood, social connection, and barriers, alongside assessments at the start, three months, and six months.
Phase 4Apr – Sep 2028
Sharing what we learn
Analysis of outcomes in loneliness, social engagement, and emotional well-being; publications and conference presentations; and accessible summary reports delivered back to the community partners who made the work possible.
04 The people
Research team
A collaboration between Florida State University and Weill Cornell Medicine, spanning health informatics, gerontology, sociology, computer science, and geriatric medicine.
Principal investigators: Florida State University
- Zhe He, Ph.D.Contact Principal Investigator Professor, School of Information; Director, Institute for Successful Longevity
- Mia Liza A. Lustria, Ph.D.Multiple Principal Investigator Professor, School of Information
- Dawn Carr, Ph.D.Multiple Principal Investigator Professor, Department of Sociology; Director, Claude Pepper Center
Co-investigators
- Shayok Chakraborty, Ph.D.Co-Investigator Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Florida State University
- Antonio Terracciano, Ph.D.Co-Investigator Professor, Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine, Florida State University
- Walter Boot, Ph.D.Co-Investigator & WCM Site PI Professor, Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine
- Sara Czaja, Ph.D.Co-Investigator Gladys and Roland Harriman Professor of Medicine; Professor of Gerontology, Weill Cornell Medicine
Development
- Andrew Dilanchian, Ph.D.Software Development Consultant Database and interface development
- Dhruv Kale, M.S.Application Developer School of Information, Florida State University
Consultants
- Stephanie M. Carpenter, Ph.D.Consultant Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
- Sheila SalyerConsultant Executive Director, Tallahassee Senior Center
05 The community
Community partners
ALCOVE is built with the organizations that already know these communities. Partners support recruitment, validate local activity listings, and hold the project accountable to the people it serves.
- Tallahassee Senior CenterRecruitment, activity validation, community liaison
- Gadsden County Senior CenterRecruitment and rural community access
- Coalition of AgingCommunity outreach and partner network
- ACT2 ProgramParticipant recruitment and engagement
- Local faith-based organizationsOutreach to minority and low-income older adults
- Community Advisory BoardOlder adults and partner representatives guiding the work throughout
06 Common questions
Questions people ask
Who can take part in the study?
Adults aged 65 and over living in the North Florida study area, who live alone or are at elevated risk of social isolation, and who have access to a smartphone or tablet. Basic training on using the app is provided, you don't need to be comfortable with technology already.
When does enrollment open?
Pilot enrollment is expected to begin in spring 2027, after the co-design and development phase is complete. Recruitment will run on a rolling basis through partner organizations. This page will be updated when enrollment opens.
Does it cost anything to participate?
No. Participation is free, and enrolled participants receive incentives for completing study assessments.
Is ALCOVE meant to replace human contact?
The opposite. ALCOVE's entire purpose is to get people out of the house and into rooms with other people. It is a way of finding and getting to real, in-person community activity and not a substitute for it.
How is participant information handled?
ALCOVE is a research study. Study procedures will be reviewed and approved by the Florida State University Institutional Review Board before enrollment begins. Participants stay anonymous to community organizations unless and until they choose to express interest in a specific activity, and a study coordinator manages that introduction. Participants receive full details about data collection and use during the informed consent process.
My organization runs activities for older adults. Can we be listed?
Yes. Community organizations, senior centers, nonprofits, and faith-based groups in North Florida are invited to contribute and validate activity listings. Get in touch using the contact details below.
07 Get in touch
Contact
Research inquiries
Zhe He, Ph.D.
Contact Principal Investigator
zhe@fsu.edu
Community partnerships
Mia Liza A. Lustria, Ph.D.
Multiple Principal Investigator
mlustria@fsu.edu
Institute for Successful Longevity
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida
isl.fsu.edu