Can We Use Technology to Bridge the Digital Divide During a Pandemic?

Months into the Covid-19 crisis, it has become clear that technology plays a major role in older adults’ ability to adjust to lock downs and to social isolation practices that have become the new normal. Older adults are at a greater risk of becoming seriously ill or even dying from the virus, but they are also at a greater risk of suffering the consequences of prolonged periods of home confinement, which can impact their mental health and level of independence.

Protecting our elders from coronavirus by means of physical distancing, often comes with the price tag of having many of them feel lonely. A national poll in the US found that loneliness doubled in recent months, and the stats on loneliness weren’t great to begin with.

Older adults who had wifi, the right devices, and were technologically literate prior to the pandemic, were far better positioned to deal with the reality of a sudden lockdown and having to be away from loved ones. What about those who don’t have wifi, a computer or aren’t technologically literate? 

A recent article on Generations – the American Society on Aging journal, explains how technology, and specifically a social robot, can be used to fight off loneliness in old age. Other solutions like computers, tablets, smartphones or smart speakers may require training and guidance to master, but having your loved ones sequestered far away could be a significant motivator that makes older adults take the leap and learn how to use them.

After the initial (shock)wave, cities, elderly care providers and other community-based organizations understand they can impact not only the health outcomes of seniors during the pandemic, but also their general well-being. Seniors only hours at grocery stores are a great solution for mitigating the risk of exposure, but helping our elders use technology is a critical component in helping them thrive despite the circumstances. 

Tech literacy

One organization that’s been promoting tech literacy among seniors for years is Senior Planet. They’ve created a series of Stuck at Home Guides to help seniors do anything from refilling prescriptions to ordering take-out online. 

Device donation

In the UK, SocialBox.Biz, a London-based community interest company and technology venture announced they have teamed up with local politicians to bridge the digital divide during Covid-19. They collect unused laptops and tablets from large organizations, and repurpose them for the use of older adults in their community. In the US, a non profit donated thousands of tablets to nursing homes.

Senior living innovators

Senior living communities have had to find new ways to provide residents with social programming and opportunities to engage with other residents and family members who weren’t allowed to visit for several months. Some used YouTube channels and Robots to engage with residents and help residents communicate with family members, others have used smart speakers to help residents stay connected.

Local initiatives

The AARP and the National League of Cities launched the Covid-19 Older Adults Response Initiative, with the purpose of providing mayors, local leaders and community organizations information and resources to support their response. 

2021 is at the horizon, and the end of the pandemic is nowhere in sight. Gandhi said, that ‘the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members’. Right now, our elders are most vulnerable, and it’s up to all of us to make sure they have the means to stay engaged and maintain not only physical but also emotional well-being.