Demographers have studied ageing trends and created the “Demographic Transition Model” to explain the process that we are witnessing today. The model consists of five stages conditioned by the ratios of population´s birth and mortality. In the first stage, both ratios are high whereas in the fifth stage, both ratios are very low.

The retirement pensions and care system for the elderly that emerged in the second and third stages do not serve the fourth and fifth stages. For this reason, transforming care systems inherited is the greatest challenge of our time.

MyMate offers a system for uniting formal and informal care services. To this end, it provides a management platform with mobile applications capable of launching missions to volunteers who wish to participate in the provision of services addressed to the elderly provided by Care Centers.

Thereby, all stakeholders will experience a clear improvement over their current situation. The primary users get a level of care that would be impossible to be provided by the Care Centers with the current resources. Volunteers, so called secondary users, can develop activities that keep them active and in a permanent learning situation.

The Care Centers can obtain a release from their restrictions thanks to the assistance provided by a group of volunteers with the desire to participate and help other elderly people.

The secret of MyMate is the use of a powerful system of coordination and gamification.

A database with primary and secondary users, managed by those responsible for the major care centres (tertiary users), provides the starting point for launching the missions to the volunteers, who will decide whether to accept or reject the service to be performed.

Volunteers receive communication through an app installed on their Tablet or Smartphone. The Care Centre will be able monitor the status of the service provided by volunteers, through the service management platform. In the end, secondary users will earn points to be recorded on their history allowing them to achieve bronze, silver, gold or platinum status. Volunteers can redeem those points earned, in exchange of prizes, discounts or services.

The transition to the fifth demographic stage at the time of the collapse of families and Governments provides a great opportunity not only for the private sector but also for social innovation since the solution offers to a significant number of elderly people to have a purpose, sense of wellbeing and to feel at home and connected to others.