Orange Slices: CareYaya

ORANGE SLICES

CareYaya was piloted in 2022 at UNC-Chapel Hill, then N.C. State University and Duke University, has already vetted and recruited 2,000 student caregivers and served 800 families across the Triangle.

By Laurie Paolicelli
Guest Columnist

The holiday season is a celebration of joy, gratitude, and compassion. Perhaps compassion most of all.

Yet for many of us–especially older adults and their families–it can also bring stress, exhaustion, and a quieter kind of loneliness, especially for those living with memory loss or chronic illness, and for the caregivers who see them through hard times.

Every day in America, nearly 10,000 people turn 65. At the same time, care costs continue to rise, Medicare funding is strained, and a caregiver shortage is at a critical point. The disparity between those who have and those who have not is most keenly felt during the holidays.

Enter CareYaya, which started at UNC.

CareYaya connects local families with compassionate college students who want to make a difference. Its model offers affordable elder care while providing meaningful, hands-on experience for future healthcare professionals.

Tom Stevens and his wife Debbie

Tom Stevens of Hillsborough—former mayor, longtime resident, artist—has spoken openly about his wife Debbie’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and the daily realities of caring for a partner whose world is slowly changing. The presence of CareYaya has been a gift for both of them.

“They have been a wonderful resource for our family,” Stevens says. “My wife loves to see her friends from CareYaya. She feels safe and happy when they are here—and that makes me happy, and able to leave the house for a few hours to do my studio work. The students receive 100% of funds that families pay them for their services, affordably as low as $15 hour.”

CareYaya connects families with vetted pre-health and healthcare students from nearby universities, including UNC and Duke. These students—affectionately called “joygivers”—provide flexible, in-home support ranging from companionship to help with daily activities. UNC Health works closely with CareYaya, using them as a key referral source for in-home care, especially for patients being discharged. UNC-affiliated nurses and discharge planners leverage CareYaya’s platform to connect families with vetted university students for senior care, reducing hospital re-admissions and offering convenient, affordable support.

Debbie Simmer enjoys a walk with Kaila, who originally came to the family by way of CareYaYa.

The Chapel Hill-Durham area has long been a hub for public service and healthcare education, and CareYaya builds on that tradition. Its student caregivers are not only preparing for careers in medicine, nursing, and allied health fields, they are also eager to form genuine, personal connections with older adults right here in Orange County.

“Having access to caregivers who understand both the cultural pulse of the community and the nuances of care for the aging makes a difference,” Stevens says.

That difference shows up in small, everyday moments: a short walk on a cold morning, holiday music playing softly in the background, a familiar face nearby when family members are out of town. These young caregivers offer more than practical help—they offer presence, reassurance, and companionship.

CareYaya is an online marketplace that follows the gig economy format established by the likes of Lyft (Nasdaq: LYFT), Uber (NYSE: UBER), DoorDash (NYSE: DASH) and Upwork (Nasdaq: UPWK).

Families across Orange County often say these relationships become one of their greatest blessings. The bond between caregiver and client isn’t transactional—it’s deeply relational, built on trust, shared stories, laughter, and understanding. CareYaya is more than a caregiving service; it is a connector, linking generations and strengthening community ties.

“As a former social worker I especially appreciate their organizational model which uses technology similar to Uber to book a caregiver,” says Stevens. “That person makes $15 an hour, which helps support young adults working towards a future in the healthcare profession.”

Caregiving is demanding work—physically, emotionally, and mentally. It calls for patience in moments of frustration, tenderness in moments of sadness, and steadiness when simply being present matters most. Sometimes that looks like a shared holiday meal. Sometimes it’s a quiet cup of coffee before the day begins. Sometimes it’s sitting together in the fading evening light. It is profoundly human work.

The act of caregiving is a bridge connecting one kind of life to another, easing loneliness and creating stronger community bonds. Through laughter, shared memories, and steady support, caregivers offer one of the greatest gifts we can ever receive. What better way to pay it forward–preparing the young for a future of caring for those who may need it most. Orange County is a better, brighter and more compassionate place because of CareYayya, and for that, this holiday season, our community simply says: thank you.

Share your thoughts with me here,

Laurie Paolicelli

Disclaimer: Published by Orange County’s Tourism Department through its Public Relations team, this story includes interviews and repurposed content from websites and partner press releases. For more, visit www.visitchapelhill.org or contact Laurie Paolicelli.

Laurie Paolicelli is executive director for the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau, a position she has held since 2005. Laurie has worked in tourism and marketing for twenty-five years, having served in leadership roles in Houston and California convention and visitor bureaus. She is a native of the Twin Ports of Duluth, MN/Superior Wisconsin. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Communications from the University Wisconsin-Superior and graduate certification in Technology In Marketing from the UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media. This reporter can be reached at Information@TheLocalReporter.press