Healthcare, Technology and the Aging Population
by
Nikki Austin-Shipp, CEO of South Florida Institute on Aging (SoFIA)
Anyone with older parents has experienced the frustration of trying to explain the hows and whys relating to any one of a number of technological devices. For our aging population, the digital divide is real.
During the pandemic, the lack of technological knowledge among older adults was even further magnified. Telehealth became the primary connection between the elderly and healthcare professionals. Tech tools and apps became a primary method for communication and day-to-day functioning. The pandemic has undeniably underscored the importance of technology, which sits at the center of our world’s function. As technology accelerates the pace of everyday life, it’s important that we don’t leave our aging population behind.
Technology has become a key role in helping people stay healthier longer and supporting older adults and their caregivers by improving quality of life, independence and safety. Digital innovations are quickly helping to transform modern industries, especially those that impact our aging population.
Our 5th Annual Aging Symposium, “How We Age Matters,” will be held virtually on Wednesday. June 23 from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., pushing forth the narrative on aging needs for all healthcare, professional and other service providers to consider and address:
1.Healthy Living the Digital Way & Bridging the Digital Divide
Using tech tools to exercise and communicate with others leading to building interpersonal relationships and combating social isolation. Along with realistic and effective planning, goals and conversations on how to combat the digital divide among our seniors.
2.Incorporating Telehealth in an Effective Care Plan
How telehealth will be able to reach seniors safely and effectively in the future and how it can help combat racial and age discrimination in medical care.
3.Caregiving and Behavioral Health
Engaging in how mental health affects our caregivers and those our caregivers care for, along with providing local and national resources.
4.SoFIA Research
Discussing how vital continuing research will be in making our aging population and their communities thrive and live longer.
We are fortunate to have several leaders from the healthcare sector on our panels, including Mark Doyle, president and CEO of Holy Cross Health, who will lead our session on Caregiving and Behavioral Health. Other notable panelists will include: Dr. Jean Accius, senior vice president of Global Thought Leadership at AARP; Rodney Sampson, CEO of Opportunity HUB-Inclusive Startup Ecosystem Builder; Craig Glover, executive director of Northend RISE, Inc.; Sandy Michael McDonald, Broward County Office of Economic and Small Business Development; Dr. Moshin Jaffer, Mohsin & Fauzia Jaffer Foundation.
It is incumbent upon all of us to improve economic and social outcomes and provide community services to empower people as they age with programs and services that assist elderly and frail adults, veterans and their families and retirees reentering the workforce as well as decreasing the digital divide in our communities.
SoFIA’s mission is to improve economic and social insights and services to empower people as they age. We hope you will join us in that quest. Please visit www.theSoFIA.org/events for more information and for tickets to our symposium.
SoFIA is a non-profit dedicated to bettering the socio-economic lives of South Florida’s aging community.
