Today, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health launched the MENTAL Health Challenge to combat the social isolation and loneliness that older adults, people with disabilities and veterans often experience. A total of $750,000 in prizes will be awarded for development of an easy-to-use online system that offers recommendations for programs, activities and resources that can help users connect to others and engage in the community, based on their individual needs, interests and abilities.
Indianapolis, IN. - Sherish, a new technology company for seniors and their families designed to alleviate senior loneliness, announced a new initiative in which it offers its platform, Sherish Connect, to senior living facilities for free for 90 days. The initiative comes at a time when the senior living market is struggling to keep residents safe, healthy, and happy, despite strict restrictions on visitors due to risks associated with illness.
How essential has the Internet been during this pandemic? Read down the April Pew report with the moniker, “53% of Americans say the Internet has been essential during the Covid-19 pandemic. Go past the concerns about whether students can complete work, past the political debate about whether the government should provide Internet access -- there are some interesting nuggets and puzzling findings. During the Covid-19 outbreak, only 31% of the 65+ said the Internet was essential; 49% said it was important but not essential, and 20% said it was not too/not at all important, with likely those with more education believing it to be essential. Given that response, it also followed that those over age 65 were not too worried about being able to pay the bill for smartphone or broadband use.
How essential has the Internet been during this pandemic? Read down the April 