CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Data from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services shows the state's population is not only growing but also aging rapidly.
In the next two decades, the N.C. DHHS expects the 65 and older population will increase by 61%.
A caregiving business has been expanding its reach to support the growing number of seniors.
CareYaya Health Technologies launched in the Raleigh-Durham area in 2022 in collaboration with UNC-Chapel Hill.
The company runs a technology platform connecting families in need of elder care with college caregivers.
CEO of CareYaya Neal Shah says the business provides caregiving services at an affordable rate for families.
"It's a big health equity project to advance public health for our aging population and connect people with care who are otherwise priced out of the very expensive care market," Shah said. "The rates are only $15 an hour."
Shah says CareYaya recently expanded its services to Charlotte, to meet a growing need for affordable caregiving in the Queen City. He says it also provides a great opportunity for UNC Charlotte students looking to work in the health care field.
"Our public health research suggested Charlotte is the biggest area of elder concentration in the state. It's also the most expensive area for elder care," Shah said. "Our research suggests almost 90% of families who need help with elder care are priced out of the current private care market because in Charlotte the rates per hour are over $30."
He said CareYaya saw a chance to connect this population with students pursuing health care studies.
"We thought there was a massive opportunity to help [families] in Charlotte," Shah said. "We also observed UNC Charlotte is one of the largest universities in the state and has a very large pool of students focused on health professions — our approximation is that there are over 3,000 of them at UNC Charlotte."
CareYaya is providing job opportunities for future graduate students like Nirvana Tari, who moved to Charlotte after graduating from Elon University.
She says shortly after, the company started employing college students from her alma mater.
Tari connected with CareYaya and joined the caregiving team, providing services to elders in Charlotte.
Every Sunday, Tari is partnered up with Charlotte resident John Moses, a retired dentist who enjoys the companionship CareYaya offers him.
"John is my big brother. It's incredible being able to share our different perspectives on the world and [hear stories] through someone that's been here for almost a century," Tari said. "This guy is really my best friend, and I love spending time with him. I couldn't ask for a different person."
Tari says the job is allowing her to save money for graduate school while getting experience in the care services field.
"CareYaya is using an untapped source — students," Tari said.
Tari says caregivers are needed now more than ever.
Reports show the senior population is growing fast. Tari says this means more caregivers are needed to ensure more seniors are getting the companionship and help they need.
"The need for health care for people in that age group is very necessary. I think it's so wonderful CareYaya is expanding, not just to Charlotte but all over," Tari said.
CareYaya is also advancing its technology services to improve care services for seniors.
The company is now using virtual reality therapy for seniors. The headsets allow them to experience virtual activities like skiing and diving.
"If you have a tech-enabled caregiver coming into your home, you can engage the elder in virtual reality therapy," Shah said. "In the safety of their home, the student caregiver can engage the person through virtual reality headsets with novel immersive experiences, like a trip to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower. These are things the elders may not ever be able to do again, but now they can immerse into this experience."
Shah says the virtual reality experience is benefiting seniors, particularly those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
"We're finding there's actually a benefit to the brain from this novel stimulus and improvement in memory," Shah said. "Potentially, a reduction in the progression of the disease."
CareYaya recently announced on Instagram that it is now serving families in Atlanta.