By Eric Lindberg
A $1.5 million donation from a couple with strong ties to USC will enable researchers at the USC School of Social Work to explore how technology can promote health among older adults in Taiwan.
Provided by USC Trustee Daniel M. Tsai and his wife, Irene Chen MA ’83, through their charitable foundation, the funding will support the efforts of Associate Professor Shinyi Wu and her research team to test whether tablet computers can be an effective medium to help prevent disease, decrease isolation, increase social engagement and improve general well-being among older adults with disabilities.
“This gift is incredibly valuable and will enable innovative research that has the potential to address serious disparities in how vulnerable older adults receive care,” said Marilyn L. Flynn, dean of the USC School of Social Work. “We are fortunate to have such forward-thinking and caring donors who recognize the importance of this work.”
Researchers hope the project will demonstrate that older adults can embrace new ways to care for themselves in an increasingly technological era of health care.
“It’s a platform to close the digital divide and give them a tool to do better self-care,” said Wu, a researcher with the school’s Roybal Institute on Aging who will be working with Clinical Assistant Professor Hsin-Yi Hsiao and Professor Iris Chi, holder of the Chinese-American Golden Age Association/Frances Wu Chair for the Chinese Elderly.
Researchers hope the project will demonstrate that older adults can embrace new ways to care for themselves in an increasingly technological era of health care.