Technology can help seniors connect in real life, through video chatting and in virtual reality
S. Jay Olshansky, a gerontology professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, recalls the first time he saw Hyunseung Lee, an 11-year-old from Seoul, through his computer screen. The kid was shy, but Olshansky, 67, encouraged him to ask questions. “Turns out, he was thirsting for this kind of interaction.”
They’d connected through Eldera, the platform that pairs mentors and mentees, using an algorithm. “The time and wisdom of older adults is the most important natural resource we can give future generations,” said Griffin, the CEO. “Connecting through a screen is the opposite of social media.”In weekly meetings, Olshansky noticed Lee’s unique interest in math. “There’s something special in you,” Olshansky told him.
Interestingly, users often bring the benefits of their video interactions to their real-world relationships. Olshansky views Lee as an older version of his grandkids. “Eldera teaches me how to interact with them.” Lee, high on confidence, began instructing his classmates in math.
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