To Tackle the Digital Divide, a Program Teaches Seniors How to Use Telehealth

A pilot program in South Carolina is tackling the digital literacy divide with a program that teaches seniors how to use telehealth technology.

Supported by the South Carolina Department on Aging and the national non-profit Rural Local Initiatives Support Corporation (Rural LISC), the program equips seniors in rural communities with a tablet and free cellular service for up to a year. The seniors attend classes on digital literacy at local community centers, building a comfort level with devices that are fast becoming a portal to connected health in underserved communities.

Digital literacy – or a lack thereof – is considered a social determinant of health, and a considerable barrier to telehealth adoption in rural and remote parts of the country. People won’t use telehealth if they’re not comfortable with the technology, and if they can’t afford or access it easily, they have little opportunity to become familiar with it.