Looking Forward to Mondays with Tom Kamber - Senior Planet from AARP

Each year, we ask Tom Kamber, Executive Director of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP to offer his thoughts on the year in Senior Planet.Heres his report.Dear Friends:Who looks forward to Mondays?Every Monday, in Plattsburgh, New York, the Senior Planet Fiber Arts and Crotchet Circle gathers.This group is less than a year old but has already blossomed into a creative and social community filled with people who look out for one another.When one participant, Mary, 71, was asked how this new group and Senior Planet had affected her life, she said: Who looks forward to Mondays? I do.Thats what makes Senior Planets community so special.Our collective purpose is not just learning how to use email and attending online fitness classes its about harnessing technology to bring older adults together and improve our lives on a granular, day-to-day basis.Embracing the PossibilitiesAnd all of the fantastic success and growth Senior Planet has seen in the past year would not have been possible without people like you, who support the mission, bring an open mind to class, and embrace the possibilities of how seniors can live in a tech-enriched world.Here are some of the accomplishments from this past year that Senior Planet participants helped to make happen:Older adults engaged with Senior Planet programming over 800,000 timesWe had over 1 million views on YouTube! Including thousands who watched our 27 new educational videos including a series on iOS 26The Senior Planet Hotline handled over 40,000 phone callsThere was a 37% increase in listeners to our Aging Rewired podcast this year, bringing us to 18K+ all-time listenersA 101 year-old World War II veteran joined his first online morning stretch class which now averages over 689 participants every day41 new Senior Planet programs were launched including the Smart Steps to Small Business Success lecture series and Gentle Kung Fu79 new partner sites were onboarded through our national licensing program, which overall engaged older adults over 46,000 timesAnd so much more!Every year, more older adults are gaining access to the resources they need to stay connected through Senior Planet.

In our Aging Connected 2025 report, we found that though the digital divide has become smaller, 32% of older adults still do not have access to broadband internet at home.We are working to raise awareness of this remaining gap in order to make sure that all older adults who want to be are connected to the tools and resources they need to make daily tasks easier.The good news: 2025 was our biggest year yet.And I am certain that with the passion and commitment of community members like you, 2026 will be even bigger.As we move into the new year, I hope you find yourself just as refreshed and excited for what is to come as I am.

Especially the Mondays!With eternal gratitude,Tom KamberExecutive Director,
Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARPTom Kamber is the executive director of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and Senior Planet from AARP.He is a leading expert on aging and technology and is regularly featured in national media.P.S.If you would like to support Senior Planets free programming for older adults before the year is out, you can make a tax-deductible donation here.