Tech and Heart: How Technology and Volunteerism Support Elderly Well-Being

This blog was written by Donna Jackson, Senior Strategic Contract Negotiator at Cisco, global co-lead of Cisco’s Adult Caregivers Inclusive Community, and Founder and Executive Director of the Noble Strength Foundation and its Age To Age® program. Through a network of global volunteers, Age To Age® helps the elderly combat loneliness and isolation by connecting them to their loved ones—anywhere in the world—using the Age To Age® platform and Cisco’s Webex conferencing technology.

April is Global Volunteer Month. During this time of year, I’m reminded of the many Cisco volunteers who have given their time and talents to expand the reach of the Noble Strength Foundation and Age To Age® program.

From Pain to Purpose: The Age To Age® Story

The idea to launch Noble Strength Foundation and the Age To Age® program came from a devastating situation that my own family and I went through, in which caregiver burnout resulted in us no longer having opportunities to see our mother. This was an avoidable situation, and I knew that technology could be part of a solution where we could help reduce loneliness and isolation for seniors and address caregiver burnout.

From designing and engineering the platform to connecting people, Cisco employees’ selflessness has brought our elderly community closer to their loved ones. Here are a few of my Age To Age® program volunteer highlights:

Intercontinental Connections: Donna and Aldo’s Story

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the great fortune of meeting a woman in her late 80s living in North Carolina who desperately wanted to reconnect with her cousins in Italy. Through the Age To Age® app, which facilitates connecting and scheduling volunteer visits with the elderly, I was introduced to Aldo, a Cisco employee based in our Rome office. Aldo happened to be visiting the very small Italian coastal village where this woman’s cousins live. It was a happy and fortuitous twist of fate that we had to take advantage of, so we set up a meeting for the family to reconnect.

The reunion was wonderful! Although some of the family members were elderly and partly hearing impaired, and neither party proficiently spoke the other’s language, the conversation went smoothly thanks to advances in Cisco’s technology, using enhanced decibels and closed captioning translations. The highlight of the gathering was when the woman learned Aldo’s name. Aldo was also the name of her late father, a coincidence that took the connection to another level, making it feel even more special and intentional.

Words can’t fully describe how it felt to enable a connection between loved ones through technology we use every day. Meeting a work colleague from across the globe-someone I likely wouldn’t have met under normal circumstances-made the experience even more meaningful.

Taking a Personal Experience to Another Level: Michael’s Story

Michael attended one of the Lunch-and-Learn sessions we organized for Cisco employees to highlight the work of the Noble Strength Foundation through its Age To Age® program. The program’s purpose and approach resonated deeply with him. “I was a caregiver to both of my parents, and after attending the Lunch-and-Learn, I felt a personal connection to the program. Soon after, I volunteered to connect a man who had been admitted to a medical facility with his wife and daughters.“

Traveling several hours every day to visit him had become increasingly difficult for the man’s family. The ability to maintain daily visits through a simple computer connection was invaluable. “The family said this service was an answer to prayer, and I experienced such fulfillment from being able to positively impact their lives during this tough season of life,” Michael shared.

A Double Love Connection: Sonya and Thomas’ Story

Sonya and Thomas began dating after meeting at Cisco. Sonya had heard about Age To Age® and was eager to get involved. The request she chose coincided with a long weekend to the beach that she and Thomas had planned for themselves. “When we discovered the visit was to connect an elderly man with his girlfriend, it felt even more special to us,” Sonya said.

The aging couple had lived in the same assisted living community and saw each other every day. However, his caregiver son and family had relocated several hours away, and they were not tech savvy. Sonya shared, “As our romance was budding, it was wonderful to witness the elderly couple’s love story, and to be part of connecting them after several months of them being apart.” Sonya and Thomas were so moved by the experience that they continue to be dedicated volunteers. “We are excited and hopeful to be part of more wonderful stories like this,” Sonya said.

“Fun fact,” Sonya shared. “Thomas and I married shortly after that Age To Age® visit, and we now have two children.”

From Local to Global

In 2017, I was given the opportunity to “pitch” the work of Noble Strength Foundation and the Age To Age® program to my leaders at Cisco. As a direct result, a partnership formed, and we were able to scale the program’s impact from local to global through Webex and a worldwide workforce. Cisco was quite literally the vehicle through which I was able to turn the pain of my family’s experience into a purpose so much greater than I ever imagined.

Studies show that social engagement for lonely or isolated seniors is critical, in some instances, more important than daily medications. As the Age To Age® program has grown, we have measured the immediate effects of the social connections made through visits and found the studies to be true. Our recorded statistics consistently reflect improved vital signs, eating, appetite, and more restful sleep.

Be Part of Expanding Our Impact

As of 2024, through the work of more than 150 Cisco employee volunteers across the globe, we have enabled over 3,000 hours of connections through the Age To Age® program, and that number continues to grow. I am so grateful to volunteers like Aldo, Michael, Sonya, and Thomas, who have enabled so many connections, and to the Cisco engineers (Yee F., Vinny M., Susila M., Natarajan P., Chheang D., Vyshnavi P., Adrian S., Vikrant N., and Hui Eng L.) who helped to create the Age To Age® app for our nonprofit.

In collaboration with the Cisco global partner community, we have an opportunity to scale the program’s impact and support even more elderly clients and their caregivers.

If you would like to learn more about partnering with the Noble Strength Foundation, please contact info@noblestrengthfoundation.org.

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