Contrary to popular belief, many older adults can hold their own when it comes to aging and technology. Even if you weren’t born with a silver screen in your hand, as many of the current generation seems to be, you still can master the skills you need to feel comfortable and confident using today’s tech tools.
When it comes to technology and seniors, over 90% of older adults now own a smartphone, according to AARP’s 2025 Tech Trends report. If you’re one of them, are you one of those people who “hunt and peck” at their smartphone keyboard, jabbing one finger as opposed to using your opposable thumbs? You’re not alone.
However, being technologically challenged has its advantages as well. For older individuals with younger family members, technology offers an opportunity to bond. Grandchildren, for example, can tutor their grandparents on the latest, greatest technology.
Still, some Boomers and beyond remain in the Stone Age when it comes to technology. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, according to another national AARP survey, two-thirds of older adults believe they have the digital skills necessary to fully take advantage of being online.
The survey also found that Americans age 50+ are leveraging more technology, both in their home and while on the go. When it comes to health and fitness, digital services are often the go-to for seniors.
Every generation has had to adapt to changes in technology impacting both the workforce and everyday life. Think about it: Back in the day, inventions such as the transistor radio, the computer, and the microwave oven transformed our world.
If you live in Meadowood and want to boost your tech IQ, you’re in luck. First, Meadowood is a community whose members are ready to help one another, from tech tricks to travel tips. Second, Meadowood offers tech-related classes and interest groups, including the Meadowood residents’ technology portal. Third, Deighton Liverpool, the new Senior Director of IT at Meadowood, is eager to expand those offerings.
And if you’re wondering if his unique name has any connection to a famous British rock band, you are correct. Liverpool hails from the British Caribbean, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He came to the U.S. to study at Pace University in New York and never left. “Some people say my accent sounds a little British,” he notes.
Liverpool may be new to Meadowood, but he’s certainly no newcomer to information technology. His work has spanned the globe, from Europe to Canada to many different states, and even remote work with staff in India. He has worked across various technologies in numerous verticals, including insurance, retail, pharmaceuticals, government, and telecom. “I’ve gathered lots of experience along the way,” he says. “I am a strategist. … That is my forte.
“This is what I bring to the table, along with leadership and management skills.” He now plans to apply that expertise in his role at Meadowood. His first task is learning more about the tech environment of the community.
Initially, Liverpool says he will conduct a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. “My responsibility,” he states, “is to enhance the tech posture of Meadowood, to ensure that all of the technologies here are being used to their fullest extent, that we have the right technologies, and that we are positioned to transition to new technologies in the future.” He also plans on getting involved with Meadowood’s Technology Committee, made up of residents and staff. “I’ll be playing a huge role in that committee,” he says.
Meadowood relies on multiple technologies throughout its campus on a daily basis, such as electronic medical records (EMR), electronic health records (EHR), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems that enable nurses and health care providers to do their jobs, Other tech systems assist dining services, landscaping, finance, marketing, security, and housekeeping. “There are a lot of systems here that keep Meadowood running,” Liverpool says.
Liverpool is concerned with the tech needs of everyone on the Meadowood campus: staff, administration, and resident end users. “My goal is to understand what their needs are, and find the right technologies that are appropriate for them. My plan is to see how we could introduce things like IoT [internet of things] devices and AI technologies, and ensure that I can use analytics — I am very big on analytics —and data to drive the technology roadmap.” Liverpool says Meadowood offers a monthly tech help session where residents can get answers to tech-related questions. “I’ll try to expand that more as we move forward,” Liverpool says. However, he notes that many residents already have tech backgrounds.
No discussion of technology today can avoid the topic of AI, which is sometimes met with skepticism. “I think that AI has its place,” Liverpool says. ”There are cert aspects of AI technologies and programs … that can help. I don’t believe it’s the end all, be all. I’m not a proponent of taking AI to replace the human head.”
He acknowledges that keeping up with technology can be difficult. “Tech is changing every single day. … It’s headed to a very space-like territory, like the Jetsons. It will be very interesting to see where we go in the next two to five years. By the time we hear about a new type of technology, it has been around for many years; we just haven’t heard about it yet. There are a lot of things in the works that will impact us.”
For those who are thinking about boosting their tech skills, Liverpool says, “Ramp up your skills before you are forced to do so. You don’t want to be left behind.”