Question:
Dear Tech & AGEing:  I’m a 71-year-old woman living in a rural town in Western Massachusetts and my husband is in his 80’s.  I have several devices in my home, including a smartphone, a tablet, and a computer.  We use the Internet for some shopping purchases and communications online.

AI, Technology, and Healthy Aging

Video/podcast Interview, Life Happens

Show to be aired 2/13/25 – Link will be posted on the Project GOAL website as soon as it goes live.

Quote in article in AARP Bulletin Publication, November 2024 Issue

Online Shopping’s Holiday Horrors: Counterfeit products and fake online stores can steal your money and identity.

Published by the National Council on Aging (NCOA)

Certain types of technology have the potential to help ease social isolation and loneliness, especially for older women.

A majority of women 50+ are adept at using technology and already are likely using devices to connect with others.

For older adults, the convenience of online shopping is an enormous benefit, and at several times a year, savvy shoppers can locate sales on popular items.  Today, Amazon is kicking-off its Prime Deals Days for members.  While it’s a great time to get online and purchase some deals, it’s also important to be aware of the latest trends in online scams.

Losses due to scams continue to increase with adoption of high-speed internet.

The number of those age 65 and older in the U.S. using the internet has now reached an all-time high of 88% and the aging community is realizing the many benefits that come with the online world. The significant growth in the adoption of broadband has had an incredible impact on the older adult community. 

The copper wire telephone network was the foundation for our communications system. Today, telecommunications carriers across the country are working to modernize the network to improve the way we communicate by moving toward an internet-based network.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that consumers continue to lose significant money to scams and fraud. While those 18-59 report a greater number of fraud cases, older adults have more significant financial loss associated with scams.  However, many incidences of fraud are not reported by consumers, and the total cost of fraud to all consumers is far greater than reports indicate.

Host Shirley Rooker speaks with Debra Berlyn, the executive director of the Project to Get Older Adults onLine (Project GOAL), about what the latest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas has to offer the cyber-savvy senior citizen.

Listen on federalnewsnetwork.com

Debra Berlyn has spent much of career working to help older adults live well. She is the Executive Director of Project GOAL, which stands for get older adults online. She joined In Focus host, Mike Kallmeyer, and described how technology can actually help people age well and what steps need to be taken to help this group of people start using technology more often.

Increasingly, technology innovations for aging and accessibility provide amazing opportunities for older adults to live better in and around their homes. This year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcased tech innovations that revealed the direction innovations for aging and accessibility are headed. Like at CES 2023, the advances on display were all amazing!