About Us

DUOS is creating
the future of

how we
grow older.

Age isn't a mindset—it's a complex network of social factors. We're taking them on.

OUR STORY

For us, it’s personal.

Karl & his
father, Greg
Anne & her
mother, Linda
Jacques & her
father, Jerry
Kristen & her
mother, Cindy

We founded DUOS in the summer of 2020 when we realized something big. The unique challenges we faced while caring for older family members? They weren’t so unique after all.

But none of the services out there made sense for them. Some were too intense, or only provided clinical services. Others didn’t do enough. And they were all too expensive. Plus, our older family members didn’t want them; they liked being independent. So we set out to get older adults a little help that makes them more independent, not less.

That idea became DUOS: pairing older adults with personal assistants who support them the way they want. It’s how we tackle “social determinants of aging,” the conditions that impact older adults’ health and quality of life. Soon, we launched in all 50 states, and we couldn’t have done it soon enough. During a global pandemic, our members have stayed more connected and independent, alleviating some of the stress on unpaid caregivers.

We can’t wait to add more services, easy-to-use tech, and partners to keep improving DUOS for the people we love in our families—and yours.

OUR MISSION

We’re on a mission to reimagine freedom at any age. DUOS forms trusted relationships with older adults using technology and community to support fulfilling lives at home.

OUR VALUES

You've got
a friend

Older adults are the star of the show. Their point of view always comes first.

Question the status quo

Innovation is the direct result of curiosity. Dream big and never look back.

We’re all in this together

DUOS reflects the world around us. Every voice and perspective should be represented.

Make a difference

We are “no egos amigos” that prefer action to perfectionism.

Trust is everything

Honesty and consistency are good for business (and great for karma).
Meet the founders

Karl Ulfers

Co-Founder & CEO
Minneapolis, MN

Karl is passionate about empowering older adults to have more freedom as they age because of his own experience helping his grandparents navigate the challenges of aging and find the resources they needed to age independently.  He is leveraging his experiences as an early leader in the digital health space - starting in 2006 at OptumHealth, part of UnitedHealth Group, and more recently as the Chief Product Officer and then CEO of Rally Health - to help DUOS establish a system of aging that makes it easy for older adults and caregivers to get access to the support they need.  Read more about Karl’s story here.

“The time is now for a company like DUOS to exist. When you put together a team that is equally skilled, compassionate, tech-savvy and deeply entrenched in the healthcare space, it truly can change the world.”

Anne Marie Aponte

Co-Founder & COO
Denver, CO

A self-professed healthcare buff, Anne Marie has spent her entire career in the industry, including over a decade of developing and delivering innovative, consumer-oriented solutions to employers, providers, and health plans. Before DUOS, she held leadership roles at a number of successful ventures, including DispatchHealth and Accolade. Anne Marie sees her own family in DUOS, and uses her experiences to help family members—as well as DUOS members—navigate the never-ending complexity of the healthcare system.

“The best thing about my role is, day in and day out, I have the awesome privilege of serving our two most important audiences: the older adults we help empower and the incredibly special people who choose to do this important work.”

Now, let's groove.

Enjoy a playlist of timeless tunes that we love at DUOS. Groove, dance, rock out, and sing along to songs from the greatest era of music.