As society ages, the number of older people living alone is steadily increasing. The impact of this trend is exacerbated by declining mental health and physical fitness, which can lead to withdrawal, fear of going outside, and ultimately social exclusion. Older people often feel overwhelmed by today's technology. In many cases, they have no one to help them with their recurring problems (e.g., technical issues). The Covid-19 crisis has also caused an increase in loneliness and isolation among older people. But young people also currently have their own problems. Research shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused negative effects on mental health, psychosomatic complaints, and anxiety - especially among young people - due to home schooling, severely restricted physical interaction with friends and a lack of everyday structures. Adolescents who come from difficult family situations often have no adult role models whom they can trust.

Promoting mental and physical health

Buddy4All promotes mental and physical health, offers cross-generational interaction between younger and older generations, virtual personal support for everyday activities, and professional support for sensitive issues (e.g. from social workers, nurses, etc.). Using a mobile app and a new type of mixed reality glasses, Buddy4All will provide personalized support. Buddy4All aims to connect older and younger adults across generations, enabling interaction where older and younger adults benefit from each other's experiences. The project aims to improve the well-being and active lifestyle of both generations.

The buddy system

Analogous to the buddy principle, the project is based on the idea that users always have a companion and a contact person. The system includes three types of buddies: "Real Buddies" (both younger and older adults), "Virtual Buddies" (computer-assisted help) and "Professional Buddies" (professional caregivers and social workers). The buddy system will include different functionalities, which will be developed in the research project together with the potential users in workshops in order to achieve high usability and utilization.

Games and application

The platform includes "location-based" mixed reality games where youth can play together with a senior in a different location. The young people see virtual elements superimposed on the real world, and have to move from place to place in the real world to find them. Senior buddies can follow what the young buddies see on a tablet and solve puzzles together. 

Furthermore, a combination of cognitive and physical training is offered to add activity and fun to buddy brain and memory training. 

The application is complemented by a combination of virtual, professional, and intergenerational support. On the one hand, this leads to the feeling of social belonging as well as to the promotion of mental and physical fitness in order to maintain personal well-being, which leads to a healthy lifestyle.