Maria, 72, learned to video call her grandkids during the pandemic. Now she uses the same app to join her local senior center's online book club every Thursday. Stories like hers are becoming the norm, not the exception — and a new study from Rutgers University helps explain why.
Researchers found that digital tools like Facebook, video calls, and websites have become essential to helping older adults stay connected and supported in their communities. The study, published in the journal Innovation in Aging, surveyed 200 leaders of age-friendly community programs across the United States and conducted 13 in-depth interviews to learn how they use technology in their work.
The results surprised even the researchers. Nearly all of the leaders surveyed — 92% — used at least one digital tool to plan programs and reach older residents. Facebook was by far the most popular choice, used by 61% of leaders for outreach. The next most common tools were online surveys, video calling platforms, websites, and shared online documents.
"Our paper calls attention to the fact that technology is critical to making aging-related changes to our societies," said Natalie E. Pope, a doctoral candidate at Rutgers who co-authored the study. "That includes both how older adults interact with technology and how we, as people who care about aging, use technology in our work."
The need for age-friendly communities is growing fast. In the United States, 1 in 6 people is now 65 or older — about 55.8 million people, up 38.6% from 2010. More than 1,000 cities, counties, and states have formally committed to becoming more welcoming to older residents, from updating housing laws to building wheelchair-accessible parks.
Emily A. Greenfield, a professor at Rutgers who led the study, said the research shows that building good communities for aging adults requires the same thoughtful systems we already have for children.
"Think about how our communities support the development of kids," Greenfield said. "There are schools and youth programs and well-established systems to help kids flourish. We're asking, 'What do we offer that's similar for people as they age?'"
One answer is already being tested in Ocean County, New Jersey. Greenfield is working with local leaders and Rutgers Cooperative Extension to launch an AI-assisted texting service for senior services. The system uses a customized artificial intelligence model to answer questions from older adults about local resources — from meal delivery to transportation — by text message. A small pilot launch is planned for this month.
"So many communities have joined the movement to be age-friendly, and the knowledge that we've derived with this study helps explain how they're doing that work," Greenfield said. "Maybe to some people's surprise, digital technologies are a huge part of these efforts."