Dialogue on Aging- Digital Care Work

Dialogue on Aging Public Presentation Series and the Edwin S.H. Leong Centre for Healthy Aging (UBC) are pleased to present Dr. Kim Sawchuk of Concordia University.

This presentation will discuss Canadian tablet distribution and digital training program that were initiated during COVID-19. Drawing on data collected from surveys, interviews and observations, I will discuss our evaluations of the impacts of some of these programs on the older adults and the organizations. I highlight the key role and potential played by paid “tech mentors” who we consider as “warm experts” who played a key role in the program’s success. As this study suggests, the term warm expert can be expanded beyond the circle of the family to include new potential roles for care work in a digital society. As I suggest, the digital care work needed within society, provided by warm experts, needs recognition and consideration by policy makers.