CompanionCare is a research initiative exploring multimodal, agentic AI that helps older adults connect with care teams through natural voice and text — while keeping privacy, consent, and clinical oversight at the center of the design.
Every design decision is grounded in published HCI and clinical informatics research on aging populations.
Built on open, self-hostable components so sensitive health data stays under institutional control.
Co-designed with older adults and care providers to feel natural, clear, and trustworthy.
Faculty, graduate students, and clinical partners across AI, business, and healthcare.
Older adults are among the fastest-growing user groups of digital health tools, yet most AI interfaces are not designed for their needs. CompanionCare investigates how agentic, multimodal AI — combining a realistic voice-and-avatar interface with structured clinical workflows — can bridge the gap between patients and providers while respecting autonomy, privacy, and the realities of aging.
The project is based at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.