The Potential Role of Technology in Supporting Older Adults

The aging of the population, especially the increase in individuals aged 85 and beyond, has vast implications for our economic, social, and political systems. Clearly, the increased number of older individuals in our society is associated with many positive implications. It underscores medical and social advances over disease and also creates a pool of largely untapped resources, as a majority of older adults want or need to remain productively engaged. In this regard, older workers can help to meet challenges with pension and benefits systems and shortages in expertise and skill confronting some occupations. They also can serve as mentors to younger people through intergenerational learning programs or as mentors to their peers. For example, Dorgo and colleagues (2011) found that older adult peer mentors were as effective as student mentors in an older adult exercise program. Many older adults also engage in volunteer activities and make valuable contributions to the community, or serve in important roles as caregivers either to a spouse, partner, friend, or grandchild. Recent estimates suggest that about 32% of family caregivers who are providing care to an older adult are age 65 or older (National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, 2016).