By Riley Kaminer
In 2019, Stefano Selorio decided he wanted to build a company that solves real problems that older adults face – without creating more problems for them in the process.
“A lot of people in the aging tech space love to create products and services for older adults, but they end up not really making life easier for the seniors themselves,” Selorio told Refresh Miami.
He spent most of 2019 trying to get a feel for how technology companies were powering the aging space and caregiving space. Simultaneously, he was also getting first-hand experience helping to take care of his grandmother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
In January 2020, Selorio launched Carevocacy, a digital platform that connects tutors with seniors in need of some technical assistance. The most popular topics for the platform include how to use their phone and online safety.
There are no hard and fast education requirements for the tutors, but Selorio explained that most tutors have some experience working with older adults or a background in education. “We have people from very different walks of life that are interested in working with us. If they love working with seniors and older adults, and they love technology, it ends up being a good fit.”
Carevocacy has both a B2C and B2B play. On the consumer side, $85 a month gets individuals three one-hour long sessions. The startup works with healthcare providers and senior living facilities to provide group classes for older adults.
“What’s unique about us is that our learners come in with the mindset that they want to reinvest in themselves,” said Selorio. “They want to be an active participant in or contributor to society. And they recognize that in order to do that they have to have some sort of familiarity with today’s technology, whether it be social media, a smartphone, online banking – all those things require some sort of digital literacy.”
He noted that acquiring this technical know-how can lead to positive outcomes. For example, understanding how to use their phone to navigate in the car or to order food delivery could help an older American maintain their independence. As Carevocacy grows, Selorio plans to leverage the data they gather to gain more tangible, data-driven insights on exactly how their platform affects the health of their users.
Since launching, Carevocacy has now been deployed in 27 locations, including 19 locations through Conviva Care Centers, which is part of Humana. While their direct to consumer platform currently has around 100 learners, Selorio hopes to spend more time focusing on expanding that side of their business.
Last month, Carevocacy won $25,000 in a pitch competition from the Urban League of Broward County, presented by Spirit Airlines. “It was an amazing opportunity because what we do touches a lot of people in the community – and I think that’s what the judges really resonated with,” said Selorio, who said that this funding will enable Carevocacy to expand to new markets.
For now, Carevocacy has a three person core team, plus a team of 15 dedicated tech tutors. The Miami native who is currently based in Broward said he is inspired by some of the South Florida agetech pioneers, such as Papa.
Looking forward, Carevocacy plans to expand to an additional 20 locations within the coming year.
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