On Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Tom Kamber, founder of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and Senior Planet, about how he’s helping older adults thrive through digital connection, education, and empowerment.
He discussed the evolution of OATS, the power of community-centered tech education, and how tools like smart homes, AI, and telehealth are reshaping what it means to age well in the digital era.
The following are some fresh perspectives from the conversation. Check out the full episode here.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO CREATE OLDER ADULTS TECHNOLOGY SERVICES (OATS) AND SENIOR PLANET?
I started OATS 20 years ago, 21 years ago now. I’ve been a lifelong social activist. I got approached by an older woman who asked if I would help her learn the internet. And one thing led to another, she used to come to my office on Monday mornings with her breakfast and a napkin, and we would do an hour. I realized there’s kind of an open space here in the nonprofit world. So I started OATS.
WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR PROGRAM YOU OFFER?
Our number one most popular class is a fitness class. The number one class by a mile is called Morning Stretch. Five days a week, gets like 500 or 600 people. The healthy aging part of this is the socialization of their physical activity, their communication around their health. It’s really unleashed an opportunity for people to think about their health in a social context.
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST MYTH ABOUT OLDER ADULTS AND TECHNOLOGY?
The biggest myth is that people can’t learn. Ageism is one of the last accepted prejudices. Learning technology is like a language, and if you are learning a new language, there’s a time where you’re learning the grammar and the words.
WHAT POLICY BARRIERS STILL PREVENT OLDER ADULTS FROM GETTING ONLINE?
The big ones are clearly telecommunications reform. We know everybody needs internet. It’s not a luxury anymore. It should be like water and electricity. We also need to empower the service providers. Your veterans care, your library visit, your senior center—it should feel better because of the technology. And third is regulatory protection. Scams, AI misuse, insurance issues—people need protection and better policy.
