Most older Americans say they want to remain in their own homes as they age, but many report they’re not sure if they’ll be able to find caregivers to help them do that.
In Vermont, where one in four older adults live alone, there’s been a critical shortage of personal care aides since before the coronavirus pandemic. These are people who can provide companionship or help with light housekeeping, cooking, dressing, driving or other non-medical tasks.
A startup based in Vermont is expanding an AI-driven platform to connect Vermonters with these types of home-based services.
Founder Rustam Sengupta said he was inspired to launch Tuktu Care after seeing his father, who lived in Singapore, struggle with dementia. Trying to find trustworthy caregivers from far away was frustrating.
“I also realized that it was extremely difficult for my mom and the other family members to be able to help him, and to be able to find the right kind of help,” he said.
The name Tuktu, he said, is based on an Inuit word for caribou, an animal which he said is vital in the arctic for people’s survival. Sengupta started the service in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2022.
Last year, he relocated to Vermont, and said $100,000 from the Green Mountain Accelerator Fund plus an additional $100,000 from private investors is enabling him to enter the U.S. market.
“Because we were looking for a state which has an aging population, but also has communities which already help each other, and have that feeling of a shared economy,” explained Sengupta.
People looking for personal care aides can download an app, go to Tuktu’s website or call a toll-free phone number. The service connects users with caregivers nearby.
Maggie Swanke of Colchester stumbled across Tuktu on Facebook and called their phone line.
“Our oldest daughter has been disabled since 2023 and requires full-time care, which my husband and I have been providing,” she said.
While she was intrigued by Tuktu's premise, she admits to being leery.
“It’s a sober thing to allow a stranger to come into your house and interact with your loved one,” said Swanke, who has three grown children.
The first time the family tried the service, Swanke said her younger daughter stayed home to monitor things. But she said it was a “home run.”
"Caring for someone full time, it's wearing and it’s taxing,” she said. “So to know that if something comes up, your first reaction isn't panic or dread, like, ‘Oh geez, what am I going to do with my daughter?’"
Prices on Tuktu vary, but in Vermont, Sengupta said they range from $25 to $45 an hour.
That’s less than the $50 an hour Bayada Home Health Care charges people who pay out of pocket for care in Vermont.
Greg Stewart, who directs Bayada’s Rutland branch, said most of the home service referrals they handle are paid for through Medicaid at significantly lower, state-mandated rates. He said he had not heard of Tuktu, but said Vermonters who need to pay for care directly could benefit from having more options.
“The bottom line is do you have control over who’s coming to your house and how careful is the vetting process?" Another question Stewart said to consider: Who do you talk to if there’s a problem?
Anyone who offers a service on Tuktu is required to undergo a criminal background check, submit local references, carry insurance and go through about four hours of training, Sengupta said.
