Keeping older adults tech savvy

When Henry Peck, a junior at Horace Mann, switched the text on the projector from English to Chinese using ChatGPT, the room let out an audible awe.

Teaching older adults how to navigate artificial intelligence was just one of the several informational sessions at Riverdale Senior Services’ (RSS) third annual tech expo led by students of Horace Mann as part of their service learning curriculum, also known as community engagement.  

In an all-day event on May 3, members of RSS used Meta Quest virtual reality headsets, 3D pens, learned about how to use AI services and how to spot AI scams. Workers from Senior Planet, the flagship program of AARP’s Older Adults Technology Services, sat at a table ready to answer any questions participants had. From how to use apps on their smartphones to scheduling a doctor’s appointment online, the conversations and demonstrations ranged in levels of knowledge.

“Some people have no idea what AI is and some people are very proficient, and so even in communicating with the students, it’s about meeting everyone where they are,” Conasia Watts said, leader of Horace Mann's community engagement program.  

Like Erenia Peña, 88, who wanted to learn how to send text messages on her smartphone while Robert Gadson, attended the tech expo to learn how to better utilize the features of his new Meta glasses.

“We’re actually now in a period called Peak 65 where there’s more people turning 65 than have ever before in one period of time,” Dianne Stone told The Press, associate director of network development and engagement for the National Council on Aging.

The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that adults 65 and older will outnumber individuals 18 and younger for the first time in American history, giving more impetus for ensuring older adults know how to navigate the ubiquitous technology surrounding their everyday lives. An issue highlighted during the COVID era.

“We absolutely saw in the pandemic how social isolation was its own pandemic and that technology plays an important role in being able to keep people connected,” Stone said.

Due to pandemic-related isolation, older adults reported a presence of worsening of psychological symptoms and greater loneliness, according to a 2021 report by the National Library of Medicine.

With organizations like RSS pivoting their in-person art and exercise classes to Zoom, the video conferencing platform saw its highest usage in 2020 since its launch in 2013, with 200 million daily meeting participants, compared to 10 million the year prior. This spotlighted the importance of keeping older adults tech savvy.

Angus Jackson spoke to an older woman about using 3D pens while Rohan Agneshwar taught an older gentleman how to download music onto his phone.

“I enjoy hearing their stories,” Angeshwar said. “My grandma, she lives in an assisted living place downtown and I like to hang out with her and she’s always doing activities like this.” 

Knowledge and experience is not the only challenge older adult sface in learning new technology. Some of them contend with a psychological battle on a more personal level.

"The biggest challenge is fear and hesitation," Tabitha Rosa said, was has taught digital engagement at RSS for the last three years. "A lot of healthcare services are moving online, so this technology expo is about giving confidence and awareness and closing that digital gap. "

Rosie DaCosta, 68, while curious about innovative ways on how she can use modern technology, stilll has trouble letting go of her flip phone.

"All I want it to do it is tell somebody I'm on my way," she said with a smile and a chip on her shoulder. 

However, the retired speech and language therapist plans on using ChatGPT to ask it prompts about healthy eating like, what are good meals for cardio health.

As the demographic shifts, more organizations are seeing the importance of providing older adults with the tools they need to navigate an ever-changing environment where new technology unveils itself faster than ever. 

Riverdale Senior Services holds technology classes every week.  An in-person session on Tuesdays and online sessions on Thursdays.