August 20, 2025 • 35 mins
Many assume screen time is something older adults should reduce—but new evidence suggests otherwise. In fact, regular online engagement may help slow cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia. In this episode of The Aging Well Podcast, Dr. Jeff Armstrong sits down with Donna Epps, Chief Responsible Business Officer at Verizon, to explore how digital inclusion and tech training can help older adults stay mentally sharp, socially connected, and empowered in a digital world.
Donna shares how Verizon has partnered with OATS (Older Adults Technology Services) from AARP to launch an 8-city national tour offering free, in-person digital skills workshops for older adults. Together, they’re reframing the conversation around tech use in later life—from a risk to a powerful resource for longevity, independence, and well-being.
Learn more about Verizon’s full Digital Wellness offerings at http://verizon.com/digitalwellness:
· The nationwide tour is taking place from July - September.Upcoming workshops are being held in Miami, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston.
· In partnership with OATS from AARP for older adults, and another organization called My Digital TAT2 for parents and caregivers, we invite you to sign up for a series of free, in person workshops designed to help your family build safer, healthier relationships with technology. Workshops are also offered in Spanish.
· You can sign up at: https://digitalwellness.verizon.com/
· This partnership not only offers workshops in Verizon retail stores, but also at OATS from AARP Senior Planet locations, and online through http://seniorplanet.org/.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
We often hear that screen time is something we should all cut
back on. But what if that advice misses
the mark for older adults? Recent research suggests that
regular online engagement can help slow brain aging and reduce
the risk of dementia. That insight is reshaping how we
think about aging and technology, and it's why today's
guest is helping to lead a national effort to equip older
(00:23):
adults with digital skills that promote connection, purpose, and
mental flexibility. Welcome to the Aging Well
podcast, where we explore the science stories and strategies
behind living a longer, healthier, and more purposeful
life. I am your host, Doctor Jeff
Armstrong, and exercise physiologist for the passion for
making science simple and life better as we age.
(00:44):
My guest is Donna Epps, Chief responsible business officer at
Verizon. Verizon recently launched Older
Adults Technology Services, or OATS, in partnership with AARP
and an 8 city national tour of 24 free in person workshops
designed to equip older adults with digital skills to get
online confidently. This conversation will help you
(01:06):
rethink the role of technology and aging and reveal how digital
skills can support lifelong learning, social connection, and
cognitive vitality on a path to aging well.
Well, Donna, welcome to the Aging Well podcast.
It's a pleasure to have you on today and talk about this, you
know, program that you're launching.
Can you begin by just sharing a little bit about your role at
(01:28):
Verizon and why digital inclusion for older adults is
such a personal and professionalpriority for you?
Sure, Jeff, thank you so much for having me.
I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about this
exciting work. So I am Verizon's Chief
Responsible Business Officer andwhat that means is amongst
other, I have the privilege of leading initiatives that reflect
(01:53):
values that are really close to the the heart of our leadership.
Values like advancing digital Wellness and promoting digital
inclusion and supporting human prosperity all through the use
of technology. So as you might imagine, digital
inclusion is super important to us because we are the premier
(02:16):
broadband and wireless provider.And so connectivity is key.
We all know that we are living in a digital world and a digital
economy and we believe that, youknow, technology is the great
equalizer. It is empowering and we want
people to not only first of all,get connected.
(02:37):
So we we've got to close the digital divide, but we've made a
lot of good progress on that. So beyond getting disconnected,
how can people use technology ina way that will improve their
lives? And how can we help people
understand not just the relevance of technology, but how
they can really use it to empower how they live, work and
play. So that's we have a very
(03:00):
holistic view of digital inclusion.
And so it's not just getting connected that it's leveraging
that connection and to, you know, help really improve
economic opportunity. And yeah, screen time is a topic
that comes up so much when we talk about just the health of
the entire population. Usually we're talking about the
younger people, but the idea that screen time could actually
(03:22):
help older people or older adults age well might surprise a
lot of our listeners and viewers.
So what does the research say about the relationship between
tech, tech use and cognitive health?
You know, there was a study published last April by Jared
Bengay and Michael Scullin, and it's entitled The Meta Analysis
(03:44):
of Technology Use in Cognitive Aging.
And they observed people over 65, both short term and multi
year studies, series of studies interacting daily with their
devices. And what they found is that
regular use of digital devices was linked to the risk of
(04:04):
cognitive impairment declining by as much as 50 8%, which is,
you know, may be surprising because we hear so much about
the negative impacts. And, and certainly those are
real and, and one of the reasonswe wanted to focus on digital
Wellness, but they're also, you know, immediate findings on the
(04:27):
cognitive benefits from daily tech interaction, especially
with older adults. It promotes problem solving and
ongoing learning. It encourages social connections
and community building, and it provides challenges for
stimulating memory and executivefunction.
So, and, and I could just say inmy, my own personal experience,
(04:49):
I'm a caregiver for my 94 year old father who now has dementia,
but before he had dementia, justsort of maybe around 80 to 90,
it really provided a lot of agency and independence, being
able to use technology. So for example, he and my mom
(05:10):
run a lot of meds in their lateryears and there were constant
trips up to the CBS to get medication.
Well, as their mobility became more challenged, being able to
have prescriptions delivered to it's key or groceries delivered
home, it's key. These are not things that, you
(05:33):
know, they grew up experiencing as a possibility.
So sharing with them that no, wecan do a lot even with your
limited mobility is, is really agame changer.
Just say nothing about telemedicine and and all of the
other supports that technology and.
A So Verizon has recently partnered with Oats and which I
(05:56):
guess is a part of the AARP to launch an 8 city national tour.
What inspired this initiative and what are the goals of the
What is it 24 workshops that aregoing to be performed across the
8 cities? Yes.
So we launched a digital Wellness initiative earlier this
year and the premise of this initiative is that digital
(06:16):
Wellness is for everyone and thechallenges associated with
excessive use, unbalanced use oftechnology is really multi
generational. Of course, we, we hear a lot
about addiction to technology for young people, but we also
(06:38):
recognize that parents trying toparent in the digital world,
they have a lot of challenges. So it's not just the young
people, but to the parents who are trying to, you know,
navigate parenting in this environment.
And also older people, one, because they oftentimes lack the
digital skills to really leverage the technology too,
(06:59):
because they're often a target of cyber girls.
And so we wanted to create an initiative that was multi
generational. So we partnered with some
fantastic nonprofit partners. Oates is our partners, as you
said, they are an affiliate of AARP.
They're a partner to help us with the older population.
(07:22):
And our goal is to really for everyone to have increased the
increased confidence and skills and understanding that they need
to use technology in ways and that support rather than
sabotage their well-being. So what kind of digital skills
are being taught in these workshops and how are they
(07:43):
tailored specifically to the needs of older adults?
Well, first of all, with the senior population, the most
important part of the workshops is we want folks to walk away
understanding their advice, their devices and to have the
skill set to be able to leveragethem.
And so classes range from beginner levels like starting
(08:05):
out very simple, like how do yousend a text?
How do you attach a photo to a text?
How do you make a video call to more advanced sessions like how
might you pair Bluetooth to yourhearing aids or smartwatches?
And we have the beauty of these in person workshops, which, as
you mentioned, are taking place in select Verizon retail stores
(08:28):
and senior centers, is that you have a real live person there
who can help you touch and feel and engage in real time with
concepts about how to sort of, for example, strategically
identify phishing scams or how to explain popular apps like
WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger and a lot of safety tips, the
(08:52):
importance of downloading apps only from your device's App
Store. But you you'd be surprised.
They're they're just real smartphone basics.
That's a the title of of a course that really talks people
through just the AB CS of a device.
What's a built in Voice Assistant?
Where's the the camera on the phone?
(09:13):
Really basic to making the most of smart devices.
And that's again, how do we use apps to manage your life?
Maybe it's managing home energy systems or smart devices that
will help with your with your health, the fitness trackers or
devices that send your vitals toyour doctor to Of course there's
(09:37):
safety courses, right? How to manage your privacy on
your personal device and protectyour personal information.
The importance of not sharing private or sensitive information
that the awareness that there are AI deep bakes out there that
someone might call you and impersonate your grandchild and
(09:57):
how to, you know, look out and spot a lot of these scams that
are sadly becoming much more sophisticated with the use of
AI. So even just bringing awareness
to the fact that that these exist and how to spot them is
really critical. It's a hard thing to keep up
with anymore. I mean, in technology going so
fast and AI developing and it isscary how people can just in
(10:21):
person, even just images. I mean, if they can get a
picture of your your grandchild,they can make that grandchild
start talking, moving and you think it's actually them.
That's exactly right. It's a challenge.
Obviously, it's not just older adults.
I think it's a challenge for us all.
And so education is key. I mean, we've got to become more
(10:44):
literate in terms of what's possible and how to protect
yourself in this, you know, rapidly evolving technology,
technological space. I mean, the technology
revolution is not slowing down. And so we all have to provide
the sort of safety Nets and support system to help the
(11:06):
population, you know, all of us become more sophisticated and
have a better understanding of the.
So what are some of the most powerful stories or
transformations you've seen fromprogram participants?
You have any great stories to share?
Well, you know, we have a participant turned instructor at
(11:26):
one of our Senior Planet locations and Senior Planet is a
Senior Center that Oats runs. They have a couple around the
country. Her name is Wanda.
She joins Senior Planet at 67 and she now is teaching
workshops in Denver. She's helping seniors use
(11:46):
technology just to kind of elevate their daily life.
You know, she's showing them howto set up auto pay on for bill
pays or how to plan a trip usingAI powered chat bots or how to
join social groups to give them a better sense of community and
purpose. And so she's gone from student
(12:07):
to instructor and she's really candid about crediting her tech
skills for keeping her young at heart and informed.
So she's really a perfect example of how an initial nudge
towards technology, just puttinga toe in the water, can lead to
a lifelong trajectory of learning and connectivity and
(12:28):
giving back to others to help really open their work through
the use of technology. That's really cool.
And so how does gaining digital literacy impact an older adults
ability to stay socially connected and independent?
I think we saw a lot of that kind of emerging in COVID.
Yeah, that's, that's exactly right.
(12:49):
So, you know, being able to utilize technology can really
help older adults remain connected, have social
connections via technology and independent.
We talked a little earlier aboutthe independence.
You know, those with limited mobility have at their disposal
(13:09):
the ability to carry on daily functions that they might
otherwise have to rely on adult child or or caregiver to
provide. So, but in terms of the
connectivity too, right, we see folks being able to, you know,
see that grandchild across the country or engage with an online
(13:33):
Bible study or whatever the, the, the social group might be
that, you know, seniors want to participate.
And there's usually a virtual option to, for everything from,
you know, the Elks club to localcommunity groups and causes.
So the connectivity piece, the, the, the social connectedness
(13:57):
piece is really important for older adults.
And of course, it's there's no substitute for being in person.
But when you have limited mobility issues or you just may
not be able to find community aseasily as you once could when,
for example, you were in the workforce, you have sort of have
a built in community. It's going to be difficult for
(14:49):
them to enforce safety boundaries or even just to
connect with kids that they may be raising on a social level if
they don't have some rudimentaryunderstanding of technology.
So those are some of the the ways that I think you know and
reasons it's really important toget up the learning curve and
(15:12):
help older adults get up that learning curve.
And again, I just can't emphasize enough the importance
of providing that safety net forolder adults, given that they
are they're the most vulnerable to cybercrime.
And so knowing, becoming digitally literate provides that
(15:36):
safety net. And as it as a caregiver, I know
that, you know, the the more digitally literate that my
parents, aging parents became, the the more comfortable I was
that they would not be, you know, a victim of a deep fake
scam. And also that, you know, when
they were still driving, learning Google Maps, they could
(15:58):
actually get home or get to thatnew doctor's office or a new
church that they were going to visit.
So it's just really that added safety, but also independence.
And I think that we and Oates hope that our workshops will
(16:19):
give participants that same Peace of Mind and that our
caregiver workshops give, give the caregivers Peace of Mind
knowing that their loved ones are going to be taught some, you
know, essential daily skills. So that's a little bit of
insight on that. Yeah.
So what are some of the ways that the program addresses
(16:40):
concerns around online safety tech overwhelm?
Because I know for a lot of older people, even myself,
sometimes it's like overwhelmingwhat all technology is available
or just a kind of accessibility,especially for those first time
users, people that aren't as familiar with, you know,
smartphones and things like that.
Some. We have some older adults that
are still kind of getting out ofthat flip phone age.
(17:03):
Yeah. Well, you know, first of all, I
think one of the things I appreciate about Oats is that
they're very patient with the older adult population and they
focus on teaching, you know, theto the tech overwhelm point.
What are some small but important functions that you
(17:27):
might want to engage in that technology can help you?
So some that might be sort of nostalgic, like sharing
scrapbooks or again, just havingcalls with loved ones where you
can actually see that new grandchild.
So really kind of contextualizing baby steps to
(17:52):
kind of prevent the, the overwhelm.
And I think the, the other thingis really showing how this
technology can help improve yourlife.
So the the rise of banking apps,you know, being able to just
manage if you have the cognitivefunction and manage your
financial affairs, how you can do that effectively even if you
(18:16):
weren't going into the bank, forexample.
So I think that the Oats folks are just really do a great job
of sort of balancing the, the utility of using technology with
the, the combating the, the, thefeeling of being overwhelmed or
(18:37):
relying too much on tech. So we've had a bit of a theme
this year on this podcast of technology for healthy aging,
and we've had some really phenomenal products demonstrated
and things like that. In your view, how should we be
rethinking the role of technology in the aging process,
whether we're looking from social perspective or from a
(18:58):
public health perspective? I think we should be looking at
technology as a life enhancer. You know, we at Verizon, in
addition to the programmatic work that we're doing through
our workshops on digital, where we're teaching strategies on how
to not just use technology, but use it in a way that will give
(19:19):
you a healthy relationship with technology.
We call it phone life balance. But those strategies, we also
help people implement them by providing some tools.
Some of them are free, some of them are paid through our
Verizon family app. But the whole idea here is that
we've got to view technology as a tool.
(19:43):
It's not a replacement, but it is an enhancer.
So it's not a replacement for human engagement.
And we do want people again, they have that balance.
So there are times you need to get away from a screen and be
present in real life. And we want to help people
understand how to put those boundaries on themselves and the
(20:05):
young people in their lives. But at the same time, you know,
in order to have technology enhance your life, you got to
understand it enough to. Leverage the benefits and avoid
the pitfalls with some of the cyber scams predators that you
(20:26):
know, that's a real thing. And so we've got to just as with
any new technology, learn how touse it safely and wisely so that
we again see are able to get this sort of enhancer effect and
avoid that sort of the downsidesthat some of the distraction
(20:47):
that can can be unhelpful. So a role to companies like
Verizon play in fostering not just connectivity, but real
digital equity when it comes to older generations.
Well, I think it's important. Number one, we certainly feel
that we built great networks. So thing one is let's make sure
everyone has access to the actual physical network and we
(21:11):
and the industry has done a great job of that.
You know, most people in this country now have access to
connectivity. The next and I think more
complex hurdle is how do we makesure people had the digital
literacy and the sophistication to use the technology in a way
(21:32):
that really optimizes the power of technology to empower their
lives. And so that's about an
increasing adoption, particularly with older adults.
You know that I've heard seniorsin my life say, oh, I don't, you
know, that's for the young folks.
I don't need that. It's too complicated or I don't
(21:52):
trust it. I don't want to put any of, you
know, credit card information oranything.
So the technology is here. It's here to stay.
And so we very much feel that wehave a responsibility since we
are delivering the the connectivity to help folks take
the next couple steps of that learning curve, right.
(22:13):
So the, the basics of how to useit, the basics on the use cases
that will improve your life, butalso some of the more
sophisticated learnings about how to manage your, your mental
health and how to protect your privacy and use it safely.
So, so we very much feel this isan important role for us in
(22:36):
particular to play. You know, our, our theme and,
and ethos and Ma really kind of corporate motto is we like to
empower. Our goal is to empower how
people live, work and play. And you really cannot empower
people if you just give them a powerful tool without the
(22:58):
necessary training to give them the skills and the understanding
and the savvy that they're goingto use it wisely to have a
healthy, really incredible, incredible technology.
Yeah, makes a lot of sense. So what does aging well mean to
you personally, and how does your work support that vision?
(23:18):
Aging well to me means being able to continue to follow your
purpose and follow your dreams and not feeling that you know
you you are are limited because of your age.
Being able to stay engaged and connected.
We've all seen the research thatsays that folks who have more
(23:40):
social connections are healthieras they age.
And I believe that technology has a a real role to play in
helping people identify like minded people or or or topics or
issues that interests folks. And particularly after they
(24:03):
retire, they have more time to engage in those hobbies or
interests that they may not havehad as much time to to to follow
or pursue when they were working.
And technology helps you, you know, find out what's happening
around issues that you're interested in and connect with
like minded people and just stayengaged and involved.
(24:28):
And I think as we age, we all want to continue to pursue
purpose, find meaning in life and you know, not feel or become
irrelevant and socially isolated.
And I do think that technology is a really powerful tool help
(24:49):
people to their their own desires for living their best
life. So I know this is about your
program, but you know you're on the Aging Well podcast and I
can't let you escape the question I ask of all my guests.
And that is, what are you doing personally to age well?
(25:10):
Well, I am trying to incorporatemore movement into my life.
I have a fairly heavy travel schedule.
Busy life like, you know, many, many professionals in corporate
America, but I'm really trying to prioritize incorporating more
(25:31):
exercise and movement. As I said, I'm a caregiver for
my 94 year old father. He did a ton of walking and
still walks a lot every day and he's in remarkably good shape.
And a number of his doctors haveattributed that to he probably
walked over an hour every day between the ages of 60 and 80.
(25:56):
And so I've seen up close the benefits of staying active.
And unlike me, he didn't have sort of a sedentary, sedentary
life or job. He was a United Methodist
minister. So he was on the go a lot,
visiting parishioners in and outof homes, hospitals, meetings.
(26:16):
So just being into his his early80s.
So it's I think super important for me to be very intentional
about prioritizing exercise and movement.
We've read all the things we need to do.
And so I think it is really for me about just doing it.
(26:39):
So if our listeners and our viewers are skeptical or unsure
about encouraging an older lovedone to kind of embrace
technology, what encouragement or advice would you offer them?
My advice is to just gently nudge that life to use more tech
and to be a part of it so that you yourself can get more
(27:03):
comfortable with what does it mean for them to.
And again, I would urge you to have them focus on just those
little steps that you know that they're going to enjoy and that
you feel comfortable with them doing.
Like calling old friends or starting to share a photo album.
(27:23):
Those are great places to start.So you're not, you know, jumping
into the deep end of the pool, you are starting with tasks that
they would do in the analog world and helping them to
transition those tasks to the digital world.
So it's it's baby steps and again, particularly for
(27:46):
caregivers questioning, you know, should I encourage an
aging parent to engage in technology?
It is just one of the most powerful tools for social
connection and information gathering, which will, you know,
can really enrich the the lives of older adults that you are
(28:09):
taking care of. So it really kind of can become
a companion for you caregiver tohelp enrich those senior years
for that aging. So how can the listener or the
viewer learn more about OATS andthe nationwide tour?
Well, they can come to our website verizon.com/digital
(28:30):
Wellness and there they will seethe schedule of all of our
workshops and they can actually sign up for those workshops.
And again the workshops are varied.
There are two options. One are are more geared towards
parents and caregivers and then the second set are geared
towards older adults and partnership with with OATS.
(28:52):
So there's just a wealth of information on our website.
It is in addition to informationon the workshops, we have a lot
of just literature and materialsthat will really I think folks
will find really helpful. Our goal was to try to create a
little bit of a one stop shop and bring all of the experts for
(29:16):
the various generational challenges associated with
digital Wellness into one place to provide some baseline
information, but then also to bring people into proximity with
those experts so they could haveone dialogue to get their unique
questions and situations addressed in a more like
(29:37):
personalized, customized way. So because everyone's situation.
And so we're really excited about the ability to have that
one to one interaction and just to have a live person and a
workshop who's an expert with experience to bounce questions
off. Of SO so as a caregiver
yourself, what excites you the most about technological
(29:57):
opportunities that lie ahead? Anything that really jumps out,
it's just like, wow, I'm just soexcited that this is happening.
Yeah, I think the the intersection with telehealth and
and and Wellness. So both my parents were were
diabetics and are diabetics and the the the opportunity for the
(30:39):
sharing of knowledge in a real time way.
I think the power of that to improve healthcare care
regimens, health interventions is just really, really powerful.
And it's something that previousgenerations just, it's, I'm
excited to see how technology isgoing to really contribute to
(31:03):
what they call individualized orcustomized medicine.
I think that, you know, we're just scratching the surface and,
and super excited to be part of a wireless company because this
information is transmitted wirelessly.
And so when you really think about the the power of wireless
(31:23):
connectivity in so many different parts of the economy
staggering, but certainly the telehealth and Wellness fields
even before before Sigma is how do we manage our our Wellness by
having more information sooner due to technology and leaves me
quite hopeful. Yeah, there's a lot of really
interesting stuff happening. We've had several guests and
(31:46):
I'll put links to those episodesalong with this episode just so
your your viewers and your partners can kind of find some
of those. But I'm just like recently, Just
Bear Health comes to mind, you know, and Tender Care and Thrive
25. There's a lot of these different
programs out there that are really working to be able to
utilize the conductivity that you're providing and get it to
(32:08):
the people who can most use it. And if we can work on teaching
them how to use that technology,what technology is available
there, I think there's a great opportunity for that to really
progress how our older populations, particularly those
that might not be as technic tech savvy as our younger
population are. And, and with the growing, you
(32:31):
know, just the growing technology, just being able to
keep up with it and to be able to utilize it.
So I love what you're doing. I love the programs that you're
promoting. I just wish you all the best.
Is there anything that we didn'tcover that you need to kind of
get out to the viewers and the listeners about the OATS program
and the initiatives at Verizon? I would just ask it their
listeners. So please spread the word again,
(32:54):
there's a big focus on young people with, you know, social
media addiction and the impact of technology on the mental
health of young people. And I think not enough
discussion about the power of technology to to help older
people and the need to make surethat, you know, we, we see it
(33:15):
talk about the silver tsunami, more and more Americans will be
in the older population. And so it's incredibly important
that we ensure that that population is able to age well.
And part of the prescription fordoing that is, you know, keeping
up with and learning to use technology to help them and to
(33:40):
help protect them. It can come along with
ignorance. Please share the, you know,
spread the word about our initiative.
And that is, I think one of the the most important things in
general that, you know, we've had we, we don't do a bunch of
advertisements about this. And so I would so appreciate you
(34:02):
to listen to us share about the work and for using your platform
to help get this information. It was my pleasure and hopefully
our listeners and viewers will decide subscribing or following
the podcast, you know, like thisand and share it.
I mean, sharing it is the most important thing, you know, get
more people to actually hear themessage.
It's great that we hear some of these podcasts, but if we don't
(34:25):
share that information with someone we love or somebody that
could use that information, we're not helping.
And I would also say check out the Verizon Family app.
It's a free app. It has a lot of different tools
on there, even for caregivers. You know, there's a location
enhanced location safety, a capability in the app and if you
(34:49):
go into a Verizon store, the reps can help you really unpack
and explain the different characteristics of that app.
And, and really we, we call it Verizon family because this is a
multi generational issues. So I would encourage your users
to download it for free and, youknow, start start using it.
(35:12):
Sounds great and I just thank you for your time today and just
keep doing what you're doing andkeep aging well.
Thank you. Appreciate the opportunity.
You're welcome. Thank you for listening.
Hope you benefited from today's podcast.
And until next time, keep aging well.
We often hear that screen time is something we should all cut
back on. But what if that advice misses
the mark for older adults? Recent research suggests that
regular online engagement can help slow brain aging and reduce
the risk of dementia. That insight is reshaping how we
think about aging and technology, and it's why today's
guest is helping to lead a national effort to equip older
(00:23):
adults with digital skills that promote connection, purpose, and
mental flexibility. Welcome to the Aging Well
podcast, where we explore the science stories and strategies
behind living a longer, healthier, and more purposeful
life. I am your host, Doctor Jeff
Armstrong, and exercise physiologist for the passion for
making science simple and life better as we age.
(00:44):
My guest is Donna Epps, Chief responsible business officer at
Verizon. Verizon recently launched Older
Adults Technology Services, or OATS, in partnership with AARP
and an 8 city national tour of 24 free in person workshops
designed to equip older adults with digital skills to get
online confidently. This conversation will help you
(01:06):
rethink the role of technology and aging and reveal how digital
skills can support lifelong learning, social connection, and
cognitive vitality on a path to aging well.
Well, Donna, welcome to the Aging Well podcast.
It's a pleasure to have you on today and talk about this, you
know, program that you're launching.
Can you begin by just sharing a little bit about your role at
(01:28):
Verizon and why digital inclusion for older adults is
such a personal and professionalpriority for you?
Sure, Jeff, thank you so much for having me.
I really appreciate the opportunity to talk about this
exciting work. So I am Verizon's Chief
Responsible Business Officer andwhat that means is amongst
other, I have the privilege of leading initiatives that reflect
(01:53):
values that are really close to the the heart of our leadership.
Values like advancing digital Wellness and promoting digital
inclusion and supporting human prosperity all through the use
of technology. So as you might imagine, digital
inclusion is super important to us because we are the premier
(02:16):
broadband and wireless provider.And so connectivity is key.
We all know that we are living in a digital world and a digital
economy and we believe that, youknow, technology is the great
equalizer. It is empowering and we want
people to not only first of all,get connected.
(02:37):
So we we've got to close the digital divide, but we've made a
lot of good progress on that. So beyond getting disconnected,
how can people use technology ina way that will improve their
lives? And how can we help people
understand not just the relevance of technology, but how
they can really use it to empower how they live, work and
play. So that's we have a very
(03:00):
holistic view of digital inclusion.
And so it's not just getting connected that it's leveraging
that connection and to, you know, help really improve
economic opportunity. And yeah, screen time is a topic
that comes up so much when we talk about just the health of
the entire population. Usually we're talking about the
younger people, but the idea that screen time could actually
(03:22):
help older people or older adults age well might surprise a
lot of our listeners and viewers.
So what does the research say about the relationship between
tech, tech use and cognitive health?
You know, there was a study published last April by Jared
Bengay and Michael Scullin, and it's entitled The Meta Analysis
(03:44):
of Technology Use in Cognitive Aging.
And they observed people over 65, both short term and multi
year studies, series of studies interacting daily with their
devices. And what they found is that
regular use of digital devices was linked to the risk of
(04:04):
cognitive impairment declining by as much as 50 8%, which is,
you know, may be surprising because we hear so much about
the negative impacts. And, and certainly those are
real and, and one of the reasonswe wanted to focus on digital
Wellness, but they're also, you know, immediate findings on the
(04:27):
cognitive benefits from daily tech interaction, especially
with older adults. It promotes problem solving and
ongoing learning. It encourages social connections
and community building, and it provides challenges for
stimulating memory and executivefunction.
So, and, and I could just say inmy, my own personal experience,
(04:49):
I'm a caregiver for my 94 year old father who now has dementia,
but before he had dementia, justsort of maybe around 80 to 90,
it really provided a lot of agency and independence, being
able to use technology. So for example, he and my mom
(05:10):
run a lot of meds in their lateryears and there were constant
trips up to the CBS to get medication.
Well, as their mobility became more challenged, being able to
have prescriptions delivered to it's key or groceries delivered
home, it's key. These are not things that, you
(05:33):
know, they grew up experiencing as a possibility.
So sharing with them that no, wecan do a lot even with your
limited mobility is, is really agame changer.
Just say nothing about telemedicine and and all of the
other supports that technology and.
A So Verizon has recently partnered with Oats and which I
(05:56):
guess is a part of the AARP to launch an 8 city national tour.
What inspired this initiative and what are the goals of the
What is it 24 workshops that aregoing to be performed across the
8 cities? Yes.
So we launched a digital Wellness initiative earlier this
year and the premise of this initiative is that digital
(06:16):
Wellness is for everyone and thechallenges associated with
excessive use, unbalanced use oftechnology is really multi
generational. Of course, we, we hear a lot
about addiction to technology for young people, but we also
(06:38):
recognize that parents trying toparent in the digital world,
they have a lot of challenges. So it's not just the young
people, but to the parents who are trying to, you know,
navigate parenting in this environment.
And also older people, one, because they oftentimes lack the
digital skills to really leverage the technology too,
(06:59):
because they're often a target of cyber girls.
And so we wanted to create an initiative that was multi
generational. So we partnered with some
fantastic nonprofit partners. Oates is our partners, as you
said, they are an affiliate of AARP.
They're a partner to help us with the older population.
(07:22):
And our goal is to really for everyone to have increased the
increased confidence and skills and understanding that they need
to use technology in ways and that support rather than
sabotage their well-being. So what kind of digital skills
are being taught in these workshops and how are they
(07:43):
tailored specifically to the needs of older adults?
Well, first of all, with the senior population, the most
important part of the workshops is we want folks to walk away
understanding their advice, their devices and to have the
skill set to be able to leveragethem.
And so classes range from beginner levels like starting
(08:05):
out very simple, like how do yousend a text?
How do you attach a photo to a text?
How do you make a video call to more advanced sessions like how
might you pair Bluetooth to yourhearing aids or smartwatches?
And we have the beauty of these in person workshops, which, as
you mentioned, are taking place in select Verizon retail stores
(08:28):
and senior centers, is that you have a real live person there
who can help you touch and feel and engage in real time with
concepts about how to sort of, for example, strategically
identify phishing scams or how to explain popular apps like
WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger and a lot of safety tips, the
(08:52):
importance of downloading apps only from your device's App
Store. But you you'd be surprised.
They're they're just real smartphone basics.
That's a the title of of a course that really talks people
through just the AB CS of a device.
What's a built in Voice Assistant?
Where's the the camera on the phone?
(09:13):
Really basic to making the most of smart devices.
And that's again, how do we use apps to manage your life?
Maybe it's managing home energy systems or smart devices that
will help with your with your health, the fitness trackers or
devices that send your vitals toyour doctor to Of course there's
(09:37):
safety courses, right? How to manage your privacy on
your personal device and protectyour personal information.
The importance of not sharing private or sensitive information
that the awareness that there are AI deep bakes out there that
someone might call you and impersonate your grandchild and
(09:57):
how to, you know, look out and spot a lot of these scams that
are sadly becoming much more sophisticated with the use of
AI. So even just bringing awareness
to the fact that that these exist and how to spot them is
really critical. It's a hard thing to keep up
with anymore. I mean, in technology going so
fast and AI developing and it isscary how people can just in
(10:21):
person, even just images. I mean, if they can get a
picture of your your grandchild,they can make that grandchild
start talking, moving and you think it's actually them.
That's exactly right. It's a challenge.
Obviously, it's not just older adults.
I think it's a challenge for us all.
And so education is key. I mean, we've got to become more
(10:44):
literate in terms of what's possible and how to protect
yourself in this, you know, rapidly evolving technology,
technological space. I mean, the technology
revolution is not slowing down. And so we all have to provide
the sort of safety Nets and support system to help the
(11:06):
population, you know, all of us become more sophisticated and
have a better understanding of the.
So what are some of the most powerful stories or
transformations you've seen fromprogram participants?
You have any great stories to share?
Well, you know, we have a participant turned instructor at
(11:26):
one of our Senior Planet locations and Senior Planet is a
Senior Center that Oats runs. They have a couple around the
country. Her name is Wanda.
She joins Senior Planet at 67 and she now is teaching
workshops in Denver. She's helping seniors use
(11:46):
technology just to kind of elevate their daily life.
You know, she's showing them howto set up auto pay on for bill
pays or how to plan a trip usingAI powered chat bots or how to
join social groups to give them a better sense of community and
purpose. And so she's gone from student
(12:07):
to instructor and she's really candid about crediting her tech
skills for keeping her young at heart and informed.
So she's really a perfect example of how an initial nudge
towards technology, just puttinga toe in the water, can lead to
a lifelong trajectory of learning and connectivity and
(12:28):
giving back to others to help really open their work through
the use of technology. That's really cool.
And so how does gaining digital literacy impact an older adults
ability to stay socially connected and independent?
I think we saw a lot of that kind of emerging in COVID.
Yeah, that's, that's exactly right.
(12:49):
So, you know, being able to utilize technology can really
help older adults remain connected, have social
connections via technology and independent.
We talked a little earlier aboutthe independence.
You know, those with limited mobility have at their disposal
(13:09):
the ability to carry on daily functions that they might
otherwise have to rely on adult child or or caregiver to
provide. So, but in terms of the
connectivity too, right, we see folks being able to, you know,
see that grandchild across the country or engage with an online
(13:33):
Bible study or whatever the, the, the social group might be
that, you know, seniors want to participate.
And there's usually a virtual option to, for everything from,
you know, the Elks club to localcommunity groups and causes.
So the connectivity piece, the, the, the social connectedness
(13:57):
piece is really important for older adults.
And of course, it's there's no substitute for being in person.
But when you have limited mobility issues or you just may
not be able to find community aseasily as you once could when,
for example, you were in the workforce, you have sort of have
a built in community. It's going to be difficult for
(14:49):
them to enforce safety boundaries or even just to
connect with kids that they may be raising on a social level if
they don't have some rudimentaryunderstanding of technology.
So those are some of the the ways that I think you know and
reasons it's really important toget up the learning curve and
(15:12):
help older adults get up that learning curve.
And again, I just can't emphasize enough the importance
of providing that safety net forolder adults, given that they
are they're the most vulnerable to cybercrime.
And so knowing, becoming digitally literate provides that
(15:36):
safety net. And as it as a caregiver, I know
that, you know, the the more digitally literate that my
parents, aging parents became, the the more comfortable I was
that they would not be, you know, a victim of a deep fake
scam. And also that, you know, when
they were still driving, learning Google Maps, they could
(15:58):
actually get home or get to thatnew doctor's office or a new
church that they were going to visit.
So it's just really that added safety, but also independence.
And I think that we and Oates hope that our workshops will
(16:19):
give participants that same Peace of Mind and that our
caregiver workshops give, give the caregivers Peace of Mind
knowing that their loved ones are going to be taught some, you
know, essential daily skills. So that's a little bit of
insight on that. Yeah.
So what are some of the ways that the program addresses
(16:40):
concerns around online safety tech overwhelm?
Because I know for a lot of older people, even myself,
sometimes it's like overwhelmingwhat all technology is available
or just a kind of accessibility,especially for those first time
users, people that aren't as familiar with, you know,
smartphones and things like that.
Some. We have some older adults that
are still kind of getting out ofthat flip phone age.
(17:03):
Yeah. Well, you know, first of all, I
think one of the things I appreciate about Oats is that
they're very patient with the older adult population and they
focus on teaching, you know, theto the tech overwhelm point.
What are some small but important functions that you
(17:27):
might want to engage in that technology can help you?
So some that might be sort of nostalgic, like sharing
scrapbooks or again, just havingcalls with loved ones where you
can actually see that new grandchild.
So really kind of contextualizing baby steps to
(17:52):
kind of prevent the, the overwhelm.
And I think the, the other thingis really showing how this
technology can help improve yourlife.
So the the rise of banking apps,you know, being able to just
manage if you have the cognitivefunction and manage your
financial affairs, how you can do that effectively even if you
(18:16):
weren't going into the bank, forexample.
So I think that the Oats folks are just really do a great job
of sort of balancing the, the utility of using technology with
the, the combating the, the, thefeeling of being overwhelmed or
(18:37):
relying too much on tech. So we've had a bit of a theme
this year on this podcast of technology for healthy aging,
and we've had some really phenomenal products demonstrated
and things like that. In your view, how should we be
rethinking the role of technology in the aging process,
whether we're looking from social perspective or from a
(18:58):
public health perspective? I think we should be looking at
technology as a life enhancer. You know, we at Verizon, in
addition to the programmatic work that we're doing through
our workshops on digital, where we're teaching strategies on how
to not just use technology, but use it in a way that will give
(19:19):
you a healthy relationship with technology.
We call it phone life balance. But those strategies, we also
help people implement them by providing some tools.
Some of them are free, some of them are paid through our
Verizon family app. But the whole idea here is that
we've got to view technology as a tool.
(19:43):
It's not a replacement, but it is an enhancer.
So it's not a replacement for human engagement.
And we do want people again, they have that balance.
So there are times you need to get away from a screen and be
present in real life. And we want to help people
understand how to put those boundaries on themselves and the
(20:05):
young people in their lives. But at the same time, you know,
in order to have technology enhance your life, you got to
understand it enough to. Leverage the benefits and avoid
the pitfalls with some of the cyber scams predators that you
(20:26):
know, that's a real thing. And so we've got to just as with
any new technology, learn how touse it safely and wisely so that
we again see are able to get this sort of enhancer effect and
avoid that sort of the downsidesthat some of the distraction
(20:47):
that can can be unhelpful. So a role to companies like
Verizon play in fostering not just connectivity, but real
digital equity when it comes to older generations.
Well, I think it's important. Number one, we certainly feel
that we built great networks. So thing one is let's make sure
everyone has access to the actual physical network and we
(21:11):
and the industry has done a great job of that.
You know, most people in this country now have access to
connectivity. The next and I think more
complex hurdle is how do we makesure people had the digital
literacy and the sophistication to use the technology in a way
(21:32):
that really optimizes the power of technology to empower their
lives. And so that's about an
increasing adoption, particularly with older adults.
You know that I've heard seniorsin my life say, oh, I don't, you
know, that's for the young folks.
I don't need that. It's too complicated or I don't
(21:52):
trust it. I don't want to put any of, you
know, credit card information oranything.
So the technology is here. It's here to stay.
And so we very much feel that wehave a responsibility since we
are delivering the the connectivity to help folks take
the next couple steps of that learning curve, right.
(22:13):
So the, the basics of how to useit, the basics on the use cases
that will improve your life, butalso some of the more
sophisticated learnings about how to manage your, your mental
health and how to protect your privacy and use it safely.
So, so we very much feel this isan important role for us in
(22:36):
particular to play. You know, our, our theme and,
and ethos and Ma really kind of corporate motto is we like to
empower. Our goal is to empower how
people live, work and play. And you really cannot empower
people if you just give them a powerful tool without the
(22:58):
necessary training to give them the skills and the understanding
and the savvy that they're goingto use it wisely to have a
healthy, really incredible, incredible technology.
Yeah, makes a lot of sense. So what does aging well mean to
you personally, and how does your work support that vision?
(23:18):
Aging well to me means being able to continue to follow your
purpose and follow your dreams and not feeling that you know
you you are are limited because of your age.
Being able to stay engaged and connected.
We've all seen the research thatsays that folks who have more
(23:40):
social connections are healthieras they age.
And I believe that technology has a a real role to play in
helping people identify like minded people or or or topics or
issues that interests folks. And particularly after they
(24:03):
retire, they have more time to engage in those hobbies or
interests that they may not havehad as much time to to to follow
or pursue when they were working.
And technology helps you, you know, find out what's happening
around issues that you're interested in and connect with
like minded people and just stayengaged and involved.
(24:28):
And I think as we age, we all want to continue to pursue
purpose, find meaning in life and you know, not feel or become
irrelevant and socially isolated.
And I do think that technology is a really powerful tool help
(24:49):
people to their their own desires for living their best
life. So I know this is about your
program, but you know you're on the Aging Well podcast and I
can't let you escape the question I ask of all my guests.
And that is, what are you doing personally to age well?
(25:10):
Well, I am trying to incorporatemore movement into my life.
I have a fairly heavy travel schedule.
Busy life like, you know, many, many professionals in corporate
America, but I'm really trying to prioritize incorporating more
(25:31):
exercise and movement. As I said, I'm a caregiver for
my 94 year old father. He did a ton of walking and
still walks a lot every day and he's in remarkably good shape.
And a number of his doctors haveattributed that to he probably
walked over an hour every day between the ages of 60 and 80.
(25:56):
And so I've seen up close the benefits of staying active.
And unlike me, he didn't have sort of a sedentary, sedentary
life or job. He was a United Methodist
minister. So he was on the go a lot,
visiting parishioners in and outof homes, hospitals, meetings.
(26:16):
So just being into his his early80s.
So it's I think super important for me to be very intentional
about prioritizing exercise and movement.
We've read all the things we need to do.
And so I think it is really for me about just doing it.
(26:39):
So if our listeners and our viewers are skeptical or unsure
about encouraging an older lovedone to kind of embrace
technology, what encouragement or advice would you offer them?
My advice is to just gently nudge that life to use more tech
and to be a part of it so that you yourself can get more
(27:03):
comfortable with what does it mean for them to.
And again, I would urge you to have them focus on just those
little steps that you know that they're going to enjoy and that
you feel comfortable with them doing.
Like calling old friends or starting to share a photo album.
(27:23):
Those are great places to start.So you're not, you know, jumping
into the deep end of the pool, you are starting with tasks that
they would do in the analog world and helping them to
transition those tasks to the digital world.
So it's it's baby steps and again, particularly for
(27:46):
caregivers questioning, you know, should I encourage an
aging parent to engage in technology?
It is just one of the most powerful tools for social
connection and information gathering, which will, you know,
can really enrich the the lives of older adults that you are
(28:09):
taking care of. So it really kind of can become
a companion for you caregiver tohelp enrich those senior years
for that aging. So how can the listener or the
viewer learn more about OATS andthe nationwide tour?
Well, they can come to our website verizon.com/digital
(28:30):
Wellness and there they will seethe schedule of all of our
workshops and they can actually sign up for those workshops.
And again the workshops are varied.
There are two options. One are are more geared towards
parents and caregivers and then the second set are geared
towards older adults and partnership with with OATS.
(28:52):
So there's just a wealth of information on our website.
It is in addition to informationon the workshops, we have a lot
of just literature and materialsthat will really I think folks
will find really helpful. Our goal was to try to create a
little bit of a one stop shop and bring all of the experts for
(29:16):
the various generational challenges associated with
digital Wellness into one place to provide some baseline
information, but then also to bring people into proximity with
those experts so they could haveone dialogue to get their unique
questions and situations addressed in a more like
(29:37):
personalized, customized way. So because everyone's situation.
And so we're really excited about the ability to have that
one to one interaction and just to have a live person and a
workshop who's an expert with experience to bounce questions
off. Of SO so as a caregiver
yourself, what excites you the most about technological
(29:57):
opportunities that lie ahead? Anything that really jumps out,
it's just like, wow, I'm just soexcited that this is happening.
Yeah, I think the the intersection with telehealth and
and and Wellness. So both my parents were were
diabetics and are diabetics and the the the opportunity for the
(30:39):
sharing of knowledge in a real time way.
I think the power of that to improve healthcare care
regimens, health interventions is just really, really powerful.
And it's something that previousgenerations just, it's, I'm
excited to see how technology isgoing to really contribute to
(31:03):
what they call individualized orcustomized medicine.
I think that, you know, we're just scratching the surface and,
and super excited to be part of a wireless company because this
information is transmitted wirelessly.
And so when you really think about the the power of wireless
(31:23):
connectivity in so many different parts of the economy
staggering, but certainly the telehealth and Wellness fields
even before before Sigma is how do we manage our our Wellness by
having more information sooner due to technology and leaves me
quite hopeful. Yeah, there's a lot of really
interesting stuff happening. We've had several guests and
(31:46):
I'll put links to those episodesalong with this episode just so
your your viewers and your partners can kind of find some
of those. But I'm just like recently, Just
Bear Health comes to mind, you know, and Tender Care and Thrive
25. There's a lot of these different
programs out there that are really working to be able to
utilize the conductivity that you're providing and get it to
(32:08):
the people who can most use it. And if we can work on teaching
them how to use that technology,what technology is available
there, I think there's a great opportunity for that to really
progress how our older populations, particularly those
that might not be as technic tech savvy as our younger
population are. And, and with the growing, you
(32:31):
know, just the growing technology, just being able to
keep up with it and to be able to utilize it.
So I love what you're doing. I love the programs that you're
promoting. I just wish you all the best.
Is there anything that we didn'tcover that you need to kind of
get out to the viewers and the listeners about the OATS program
and the initiatives at Verizon? I would just ask it their
listeners. So please spread the word again,
(32:54):
there's a big focus on young people with, you know, social
media addiction and the impact of technology on the mental
health of young people. And I think not enough
discussion about the power of technology to to help older
people and the need to make surethat, you know, we, we see it
(33:15):
talk about the silver tsunami, more and more Americans will be
in the older population. And so it's incredibly important
that we ensure that that population is able to age well.
And part of the prescription fordoing that is, you know, keeping
up with and learning to use technology to help them and to
(33:40):
help protect them. It can come along with
ignorance. Please share the, you know,
spread the word about our initiative.
And that is, I think one of the the most important things in
general that, you know, we've had we, we don't do a bunch of
advertisements about this. And so I would so appreciate you
(34:02):
to listen to us share about the work and for using your platform
to help get this information. It was my pleasure and hopefully
our listeners and viewers will decide subscribing or following
the podcast, you know, like thisand and share it.
I mean, sharing it is the most important thing, you know, get
more people to actually hear themessage.
It's great that we hear some of these podcasts, but if we don't
(34:25):
share that information with someone we love or somebody that
could use that information, we're not helping.
And I would also say check out the Verizon Family app.
It's a free app. It has a lot of different tools
on there, even for caregivers. You know, there's a location
enhanced location safety, a capability in the app and if you
(34:49):
go into a Verizon store, the reps can help you really unpack
and explain the different characteristics of that app.
And, and really we, we call it Verizon family because this is a
multi generational issues. So I would encourage your users
to download it for free and, youknow, start start using it.
(35:12):
Sounds great and I just thank you for your time today and just
keep doing what you're doing andkeep aging well.
Thank you. Appreciate the opportunity.
You're welcome. Thank you for listening.
Hope you benefited from today's podcast.
And until next time, keep aging well.
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