ABOUT US
Discover the power of play.
In 2015, Hasbro was convinced that fostering play, joy, and happiness could make a meaningful difference to the health and wellness of older adults, and Joy for All was born.
Almost 10 years later, we have expanded our product line eightfold, earned glowing press coverage around the world, and inspired medical researchers to conduct research and publish peer-reviewed findings that support the effectiveness of our products.
OUR HISTORY
Fun and games… and strong fundamentals
2015
In 2015, a team at Hasbro was challenged to explore new markets and channels. Grounded in the belief that play knows no age limit, products fostering meaningful connections through play, joy, and happiness could have a positive impact—especially for older adults—and Joy for All was born.
2015
Based on consumer insights, market research, and feedback from older adults and their families, the team saw opportunities to expand the joy of pet ownership through interactive Companion Pets.
2015
Designed with extensive input from older adults, Joy for All launched in December 2015. Caregiver testimonials poured in, validating the companion pet cat’s positive effect on isolation, loneliness, and cognitive decline for older adults.
2016
Following the initial success of the cat, the companion pet pup was introduced in 2016. As the product line expanded, so did coverage from news outlets, journals, popular TV shows, and influencers, which drove over 2 billion media impressions in two years.
2018
In April of 2018, the Joy for All leadership team left Hasbro and founded Ageless Innovation, successfully executing a friendly spin-out acquisition of the Joy for All brand and business.
2021
Joy for All earned industry awards, and reviews praised Joy for All pets’ unique ability to enhance meaningful connections, provide companionship, soothe, and delight.
2021
Academics and clinicians conduct independent research quantifying the impact of the Joy for All products on loneliness, isolation, Alzheimer’s and all forms of dementia. In 2021, Ageless Innovation published their first white paper on the outcomes of this research.
2022
In 2022, building off the success of the previous Companion Pets, Ageless Innovation introduced a new feathered friend to the family.
2022
Invented by 93-year-old Rita Melone, the Walker Squawker made its way to market to provide interactive companionship in the form of a bird, while also creating more positive experiences for older adults using mobility aids.
2023
Hasbro selects Ageless Innovation as their first-ever licensee to focus 100% on the aging market. In the first year of their partnership, Joy for All launched three popular game titles reimagined for older adults; Scrabble BINGO, Trivial Pursuit Generations, and Game of Life Generations.
OUR PEOPLE
Say
hello!
Everything is more fun when you get to play with great people.
With a team like this, sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between work and play!
Ted Fischer
CEO
Co-Founder and CEO, Ted was inspired by seeing the importance of laughter and play for his grandmother, Claire, as she gracefully navigated the challenges of progressive dementia.
As a tireless advocate for the role of play in improving older adults’ lives, Ted has become a recognized thought-leader. His talk at TEDx Providence has been widely viewed, and he was the recipient of the Leadership Longevity Award for Vision and Technology at the 16th annual What’s Next Boomer Business Summit, the nation’s leading conference for the longevity market.
Andrew Jeas
COO
Prior to co-founding Ageless Innovation, Andrew spent over 15 years leading teams at Hasbro across many domains, including research, invention, ideation, design, development, sourcing, manufacture, testing, marketing, and strategy.
Andrew is a guest lecturer and team mentor at MIT, a mentor at YearUp Providence, a volunteer at the Pawtucket Soup Kitchen, a member of Leadership 100, and involved in mentoring and advising numerous entrepreneurial ventures.
Meghan Gamboa
CMO
Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, Meghan leads the company’s multifaceted global marketing strategy.
A lifelong believer in the power of play, Meghan spent 15 years marketing the world’s most iconic toy and entertainment brands for Hasbro.
Jim Murphy
SVP, Healthcare
With over 25 years of experience in marketing, Jim leads Ageless Innovation’s business with healthcare organizations and CMS-related grant programs, expanding Ageless Innovation’s footprint as an approved nontraditional intervention for older adults who are lonely, socially isolated or living with cognitive impairment, such as all forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Prior to Ageless Innovation, Jim was VP of Innovation at UnitedHealthcare, leading projects in caregiving, diabetes prevention, fall prevention, social isolation/loneliness, Alzheimer’s/dementia support, advance care planning, and Medicare education and decision support, and he serves on the board of the National Alliance for Caregiving.
Dan Gipson
CFO
An experienced financial executive with expertise in global brand management, new business development, and corporate strategy, Dan has a long history of building great teams, establishing and executing best-in-class brand strategies, and driving operational excellence.
He has led long-term strategic growth for a wide range of highly respected brands, including Saucony, Tommy Hilfiger, Greg Norman, Arthur Anderson, and more.
Celica Costantino
VP, Retail
A seasoned sales expert with over two decades in the toy and game industry, Celica Costantino brings a passion for creating engaging experiences through play and a deep understanding of its transformative power. Throughout her career, she has consistently driven strategic growth and developed successful sales teams.
Most recently, Celica served as Senior National Sales Manager at Funko, LLC, a billion-dollar pop culture brand known for its collectible figurines across hundreds of licenses. Her experience leading sales at major companies like Hasbro (where she collaborated with the Joy for All team) has honed her understanding of consumer needs and the evolving retail landscape.
What guides us
Our Core Beliefs
We believe
play has no age limit.
We believe
play fosters joy and social connections as we live and age together.
We believe
in the power of play to improve health and well-being.
We believe
play has the power to improve quality of life for older adults and their families.
We believe
in interventions that include play and technology for meaningful positive outcomes.
Our Behaviors + Values
Fun
We approach everything we do with a playful, warm and positive spirit.
Integrity
We are truthful, reliable and genuine in our conversations, relationships and partnerships.
Innovation
We are committed to continuous learning and human-centered design in crafting meaningful products and experiences.
Inclusion
We engage each other with compassion, embrace diversity and inclusion and celebrate aging gracefully.
Empathy
We continuously listen, learn and explore new ways to support people and communities as we live and age together.
Drive
We expect that our team will perform at the highest level in all that we do. We will adhere to a “whatever it takes” mentality to ensure we amplify our impact.
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED
The facts about fun.
Extensive research has illustrated the significant impacts associated with social isolation/loneliness and dementia—and surprising solutions.
Loneliness increases risk
Chronic loneliness and social isolation are as bad for one’s health as smoking a pack of day. Not only do a wide range of markers respond negatively to loneliness—things like blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar levels, and more—social isolation has been shown to increase morbidity and mortality.
Our Joy for All Companion Pets have been the subject of rigorous, peer-reviewed studies that demonstrate their efficacy alleviating many of the effects of loneliness and social isolation.
We are pleased to share these independent studies to support decision-makers as they consider using our high-impact/low-cost, evidence-based products to improve people’s lives.
Robotic Pet Therapy Improves Outcomes for Hospitalized Older Adults
“Study findings validate the use of this innovative cost effective technology for hospitalized older adults.”
Effects of a Robotic Cat on Agitation and Quality of Life in Individuals with Dementia in a Long-Term Care Facility
“We found a statistically significant reduction in agitation scores from the beginning of our study to the end, along with a statistically significant increase in oxygen saturation throughout the course of the study.”
New Approaches for the Treatment of Delirium: A Case for Robotic Pets
“The intervention was simple, unobtrusive, safe, and low-cost.”