Neil Charness, Ph.D., Director of the Institute for Successful Longevity, will represent North America at an international conference on digital equity for people of all ages, part of a celebration on October 1 of the UN International Day of the Older Person.

The conference is sponsored by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics and will be conducted online via Zoom.

The conference brings together aging experts from across the globe to discuss a variety of topics related to digital equity. Those include:

• The relevance of digital technology for everyday life.

• Digital divide: Old vs. young, also intersectionalities (income/education/migration, race).

• Best practices to overcome the digital divide.

• The Covid pandemic: Increasing use in digital technology or increase of the digital divide.

• Designing for older adults.

• The development of smart elderly care and its ecosystem.

• What international organizations can do.

“Digital equity is of increasing concern for older adults as digital access and digital skills play important roles in determining our quality of life,” Charness said. “I look forward to this discussion and to learning how these issues are seen by experts in all parts of the world.”

Joining Charness will be IAGG Regional Representatives J. Hoffman (representing Africa), E. Chuang (representing Asia/Oceania); C. Tesch-Roemer (representing Europe); and R. Cuadros (COMLAT).

To register for the Zoom event, at 1 p.m. October 1, go to https://umich.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eQSiBzAIQI2wFQbtqDmPxw.

The International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics promotes the highest levels of achievement in gerontological research and training worldwide.