Related News Articles

06/21/2025

Nuance Audio is a new option for people who resist traditional aids, from the company that makes Ray-Bans and operates LensCrafters.

06/17/2025

These intelligent systems are transforming industries, streamlining workflows, and becoming a must-have for businesses in 2025.

06/03/2025

Many/most of these are in the market -- but may not as well-adopted due to lack of awareness.

05/19/2025

Aims to double weekly care volume.

05/18/2025

Dementia rates are down, recovery rates are up. Many are thriving mentally and physically deep into their later years.

You are here

social isolation

Title: 

social isolation

K4Connect Unveils Digital Content Suite for Older Adults + Announces Three Partners

01/27/2021

RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 26, 2021 — K4Connect, a mission-driven technology company that integrates the best in technology to serve and empower older adults and individuals living with disabilities, today announced partnerships with three leading content creators – Coro Health, CuriosityStream and Spiro100. All K4Connect customers will have access to these curated offerings delivered through K4Community Plus, the company’s advanced mobile and web application.

The Digital Divide -- Why haven't all older adults crossed it?

A hot topic now – crossing the so-called ‘Digital Divide’.  It’s ironic – the topic has been under discussion forever. Long ago, in a world far, far, away – it was easy for the oldest to say that they don’t see the benefit in technology, Internet access or other devices.  That was pre-pandemic of course. In 2020, the divide looks like a chasm, depending on how it is viewed. What will close it?  What is the missing link? More training?  Discounted devices?  Free Internet?  Grandchildren photos?  Worsening social isolation?  Telehealth visits?  And do we mean ‘Digital Divide’ – or do we really mean Internet Access Divide? Or is it the smartphone ownership divide? The how-do-I-use-this-thing divide? And what does it mean for one's life to be on the wrong side?

Four Technology and Aging Blog Posts from November 2020

November revealed a growing sense of urgency about older adults. What has been the impact on them of the daily onslaught of Covid-19 statistics? What about nine months of ceaseless updates about case counts? Has this produced a permanent fear of contact with others, including families, especially on holidays? Public-private partnerships are forming to bring devices and products to older adults, now isolated for as much as 9 months. Will that help? Tech firms are trying to boost access to the internet and devices – will this become 2021 action priority for non-profits and government? And much more will be different for an older population – the real seniors, aged 75+, perhaps previously unnoticed by media. In fact, older adults have often been ignored by marketers even as boomers have all the money.  Here are four blog posts from November:

Five technologies for older adults November 2020

November – the month for giving thanks -- remotely.  It was a strange Thanksgiving for many – staying (stuck?) in place with Zoom, FaceTime -- and few place settings. Worse, for many older adults, isolation is a worsening health issue that we will hear more about as shutdowns continue and shut-in becomes the virtual norm.  In November, a long report (the third of 2020) called The Future of Remote Care Technology and Older Adults was published, the result of 30 interviews with executives from organizations large and very small. Here are five companies drawn from the report and beyond – all material is from the company websites:

The onset of Covid-19 produced an unanticipated surge in Remote Care Technology product and service offerings according to leading health and senior care providers

11/30/2020

Beginning in March of 2020, older adults were cut off from their families. Senior living companies of all types were caught in the triple bind of no-visitors, worsening worker shortage and the spread of Covid-19 to their residents. The pandemic caused older adults to defer health appointments and interactions with others, resulting in the usage of telehealth and other technologies like Zoom and FaceTime to skyrocket. Many of the technology stopgaps will become part of permanent change in how seniors connect, how businesses serve them, and what innovations matter most.

GreatCall: Approaches to Mitigating Social Isolation 2020

GreatCall-sponsored white paper about US initiatives to mitigate the worsening problem of loneliness and social isolation.

Future of Remote Care Technology and Older Adults 2020 -- Themes Emerge

What is the status and future of remote care technologies? As the research interviews for the 2020 report “Future of Remote Care Technology and Older Adults” wind down, a few themes become apparent. This work began in the summer of 2020 as the Covid-19 lockdown was underway. The pandemic has likely transformed the senior-focused ecosystem. It triggered ingenuity of senior care organizations and vendors; and it energized innovators and prospective investors. Reimbursement of technology was a key policy change in 2020 that fueled adoption and investment in telehealth. That change super-charged growth in telehealth-related companies that had been growing incrementally. And as senior living executives agreed early, from a technology investment standpoint there’s no turning back.

Social isolation of older adults – a problem and an opportunity

Life has been worsening for older adults – in senior living and at home.  Every day there is some new article about the impact of Covid-19 on older adults -- or another study turns up that you missed. Residents in senior living communities are having a tough time, cut off from activities and visits from family.  Isolation has produced an increase in mental health issues, loneliness and depression – and that would be for those who have a good grasp of what is going on – for those in long-term care, for those with dementia, unable to be hugged by family, it is far worse. What’s been going on with older adults in the context of social isolation and loneliness?

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - social isolation

Categories

login account