Amid an 'Epidemic of Loneliness,' Older Adults Embrace Digital Tools

Before the pandemic, Susan Schwitzer, a New Jersey senior citizen, had never heard of Zoom. Today, she sometimes “Zooms” from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., actively participating in a virtual senior center led by Selfhelp, a New York-based nonprofit that provides human services to elderly New Yorkers, including Holocaust survivors.

At the pandemic’s onset, Schwitzer grew weary of watching movies and TV all day. “You can only read so much,” she said. Since joining the virtual center, her days are filled with online socializing and classes ranging from chair tai chi and self-care to history, crime mysteries, and computer lessons. “A whole other world opened up,” she said, adding that the center has helped her stay connected to the outside world.

The internet and related technologies have been crucial for keeping older adults—like Schwitzer and her peers—connected during the pandemic.

As COVID-19 approaches its second anniversary and cities prepare for a wave of federal broadband investments, some local leaders are seizing the opportunity to close the digital divide for seniors. Their goal: to address what a report from the AARP Foundation and the United Health Foundation called “an epidemic of loneliness and social isolation among adults.”

Mental and physical health concerns

The pandemic has exacerbated loneliness among city residents, pushing mental health to the top of U.S. mayors’ concerns about long-term impacts.

The health consequences are severe. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social isolation can increase an individual’s risk of premature death from all causes, “a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.”

Digital isolation also poses serious health risks. Over 80% of COVID deaths have occurred among individuals over 65, and 40% of those adults likely lacked access to online resources like telemedicine and social connectedness, according to a report released in early 2021 by the Humana Foundation and Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), a New York-based nonprofit affiliated with AARP that trains older adults across the U.S. in technology use.

Getting older adults online benefits not only their mental and physical health but also local economies, said Tom Kamber, OATS executive director. The nonprofit has found that when older adults learn to use technology, they start businesses, work longer, and become more active in their communities.

Making digital connections

Although the U.S. still has far to go—58% of adults aged 65+ have in-home wireline broadband, versus 73% of adults aged 18–64, per OATS—the pandemic accelerated efforts to get seniors online and engaged in digital communities.

At the pandemic’s start, OATS quickly transitioned its services online, developing telephone hotlines and making outbound calls to help seniors use Zoom, ultimately reaching thousands of older adults, according to Aaron Santis, program lead in Colorado for Senior Planet, OATS’ proprietary program.

Beyond moving programming online, the group offered tech lectures on topics like using Netflix, understanding podcasts, and cloud storage. It also helped seniors master device basics, such as the mute button, said Ryan Kawamoto, regional director of Senior Planet in Palo Alto, California.

OATS has shown that its programming improves social connectedness. Its Senior Planet San Antonio program helps residents over 60 maintain social ties via free internet-connected devices, technology training, and other efforts.

In 2019, 88% of participating seniors achieved “measurable improvements” in social connectedness, OATS reports. Seniors also reported an average increase of 1.56 “healthy days” per month—a CDC-defined measure of health-related quality of life.

Selfhelp also uses a “loneliness index” to measure participants’ feelings at various stages of using its virtual senior center. The center, now with about 1,200 participants, directly reduces loneliness and feelings of social isolation, said Chief Operating Officer Russell Lusak.

While internet and social media use may be correlated with isolation in some younger adults, that’s not always true for older adults. Evidence shows older adults fare well psychologically online, using it differently than younger cohorts, said Linda P. Fried, director of the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health, during a session at the Columbia University Age Boom Academy.

‘Deconstructing’ barriers to getting online

Getting older adults online involves more than handing out devices and teaching usage. “The solution to isolation is not just to say we are going to give everyone an iPad,” said Laura Trejo, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Aging. “What are they going to do with it? What is the programming? What is the content? And how will it enhance their ability to age well?”

The Los Angeles Department of Aging, which receives $40 million annually from federal, state, and local sources, aims to “deconstruct” barriers to digital access, Trejo said. Many residents rely on low-income phone plans with limited data and call allowances, forcing prudent resource use. “How do we make things more accessible to them?” she asked. “How can we use resources coming into our city to expand Wi-Fi so seniors can access it without their own data plan?”

To overcome such barriers, Los Angeles leaders apply an aging-friendly lens. Instead of requiring online applications, they mail physical copies, highlight sections needing completion, and include pre-addressed return envelopes to ensure success.

Unfamiliarity with platforms like email or social media also hinders connectivity. Sourcewise, the designated area agency on aging in Santa Clara County, California, conducted a “shelter-in-place impact survey” last year, finding many local seniors struggled with technology and recreation access. They reported heightened loneliness from missing in-person programs, said Elizabeth Brown, Sourcewise area planner.

In response, Sourcewise supported local efforts—including for Latinx and Asian American populations—to access remote programming that builds confidence in navigating technology. Courses covered device use, Facebook, and email.

Santa Clara County, in the heart of Silicon Valley, has a responsibility to meet its seniors’ technology needs, Brown said. Sourcewise partners with Google to provide about 1,300 Google Home smart speakers and subsidized internet for a year to eligible adults. Recipients use the speakers for jokes, movie checks, music, and reminders for medication, hydration, or plant care.

Federal investments to come

Federal investments could further help seniors get online. The federal emergency broadband benefit has been useful, Trejo said. Over 7 million U.S. families have used the benefit, per AARP, with 40% of those families including someone over 50, as of this fall.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will invest $65 billion in broadband expansion. Of that, $14.2 billion will make the emergency program permanent in January, renamed the Affordable Connectivity Program, providing $30 monthly for qualifying households instead of $50. Eligible households can also receive a one-time $100 discount for a laptop, desktop, or tablet under certain conditions.

Despite these efforts, “urban internet deserts” persist, said Majd Alwan, executive director of the LeadingAge Center for Aging Services Technologies. Application processes can be barriers; for instance, some discounted internet applications are designed for individuals, whereas affordable housing providers might more efficiently apply in bulk, Alwan said.

Looking ahead, as leaders navigate these challenges, OATS’ Kamber urged them to look to older adults themselves. “One of the most important resources for getting through the pandemic was the resilience of older people,” he said. “They lived through Watergate; they lived through the Vietnam War; they lived through 9/11.”

As we emerge from COVID, Kamber asked, will we revert to bingo at senior centers? How can smart cities leverage lessons from the past two years, adapting funding and programming to sustain the energy and creativity older adults demonstrated?