Ros Lederman, a freelance writer and fact checker, has been writing since she could put a pen to paper, back when that was what “writing” meant. She pursued all forms of writing through graduate school, finding her home writing about all things medical and healthcare. She also branched out into the world of digital accessibility, driven by passion and personal experience living with disabilities.
How some older adults travel abroad, without going anywhere
Fact checked by Jim Lacy
Imagine spending five days strolling the streets of Madrid: talking with locals, visiting historical landmarks, and learning about the city’s rich history. Now imagine doing all of that from your computer, without worrying whether a historical site will be mobility aid-friendly or whether you’ll be able to hear your expert tour guide clearly over the din of the crowd.
Road Scholar — a nonprofit that began as Elderhostel in 1975 — provides older adults with opportunities to travel and learn. But as with most travel-centric organizations, the pandemic led to a shutdown, depriving approximately 100,000 annual participants of these experiences.
So Road Scholar pivoted, and its Adventures Online program was born.
Virtual travel exploded in popularity during the pandemic. Other options beyond Road Scholar’s Adventures Online include Rendever, WellMed, and Strategic Educational Services. Some public libraries also offer free online travel programs.
Chris Heppner, vice president of communications at Road Scholar, says the company’s virtual travel programs saw tremendous interest during the pandemic. “We thought that they were just a bridge to get us out of it, but people love them so much that we’ve kept them growing,” he says.
“As a geriatrician, I prioritize my patients being able to live their life to the fullest and being able to continue to have meaningful experiences well into their later years.”
Adventures Online attracts caregivers and care recipients alike. While the program is open to adults 50 and over, the average participant is 72. Of all Road Scholar participants, 71% return for additional programs — and for virtual programs, that number rises to 81%.
Among that 81% is Betty Johnson, 75, of Wilmette. Johnson, a second- generation Road Scholar participant, and her husband, Bob, have completed 21 Road Scholar programs to date, including two Adventures Online. “I like the idea that it’s not-for-profit, has an educational focus, and when you’re on a Road Scholar program, you have the opportunity to do things you would not be able to do on your own,” she says.
Older adults can reap multiple benefits from virtual travel programs, says Nivedita Gunturi, MD, a geriatrician at Rush University Medical Center.
As a geriatrician, I prioritize my patients being able to live their life to the fullest and being able to continue to have meaningful experiences well into their later years,” she says. “Innovations like this that take an existing concept and make it something that is within reach of older adults are very valuable.”
Immersive, at-home experiences
Physical and functional limitations, along with increased dependence on family and friends, can make it difficult for older adults to participate in activities they once enjoyed. “Having opportunities that bring these experiences to them is amazing and inclusive,” Gunturi says.
These experiences also offer potential health benefits. “Something that’s interactive like this, where there’s an opportunity to learn and grow and experience new things — all of those can be really beneficial in both preventing cognitive decline and in helping to navigate early stages of cognitive decline,” Gunturi says. The required technology use inherent in the Adventures Online programs may also play a role in lowering the risk of cognitive decline.
“Having access to these kinds of programs can definitely lead to an improvement in mood and depression,” she adds. “I also think that — at least from the experiences my own patients have had — there’s a community aspect to this too. Social interaction also has a positive impact both on cognition and on mood and anxiety.”
Johnson says that “absolutely fascinating people” have joined the trips. “There tend to be a lot of smart, well-informed people,” she says, adding that the programs resonate with anyone interested in the world, seeing new places, and meeting people.
Johnson was one of more than 1,200 participants in Road Scholar’s virtual, multi-day programs at the start of the pandemic. The following year, participation ballooned to more than 5,000. To date, nearly 11,700 people have joined, according to Heppner.
Making online travel accessible
Johnson’s virtual adventure took her to Madrid, Spain. As a Spanish major who once lived in the city, she says, “It was a nice way to be in Madrid again, even though it was online during Covid.” She watched as her instructor walked down Madrid’s streets, and Johnson even had the opportunity to speak with locals at a cafe.
Johnson says there are multiple reasons such experiences appeal to older adults. “You can’t always go everywhere, especially when you’re older. One or the other of you has health issues or surgeries coming up, or Covid hits or whatever. You just can’t always go in person.”
Gunturi agrees that Adventures Online and other similar programs are valuable for people who are physically unable to travel. Plus, she adds, “Older adults tend to be a vulnerable population that gets overlooked. Any initiative that brings exciting experiences to a larger, more inclusive audience is something we should encourage.”
Road Scholar also strives to make its online programs as accessible as possible. The organization has a website compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, provides Zoom assistance, and recently launched a scholarship program to cover the cost of Adventures Online for 50 participants.
With virtual programs spanning the globe from Antarctica to Istanbul, Heppner says, “If your traveling days are behind you or you can’t afford to travel — whatever the reason — this is a way to have that experience where you get to learn things and meet people who are just as interesting and interested as you are.”
