As a proud AgeTech Stage sponsor, Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) from AARP highlighted its innovations and thought leadership at On Aging 2025, the American Society on Aging’s (ASA) annual conference. The leading multidisciplinary event focused on aging in the U.S., this year’s conference honored 71 years of leadership in aging services and advocacy. Drawing a large and engaged audience, the conference took place April 21-24, 2025 in Orlando, FL.
For over a decade and counting, OATS and ASA have shared a long-standing relationship focused on advancing the aging field’s understanding of how technology empowers older adults. For the 3rd Year, OATS sponsored the AgeTech Stage and hosted three sessions on aging and technology. In addition, Executive Director Tom Kamber contributed his expertise as a featured panelist in three additional sessions, further enriching the conference with insights drawn from decades of leadership in the aging and technology space.
On the AgeTech Stage panels included:
- At the “Philanthropy, Tech, and Aging—Innovative Models for Change” panel, three prominent funders and foundation leaders shared forward-looking trends and candid insights on the evolving challenges shaping philanthropy in the aging sector.
- The second day panel, “How Older Adults Learn Tech: Insights from 20 Years at OATS” featured Tom Kamber, Executive Director, OATS and Cesar Mendez Rijo, Senior Planet Center Manager in Miami. The discussion centered on the lessons learned and best practices derived from twenty years of developing special techniques that effectively engage and activate older adult learners.
- Also, during the second day of the conference, the panel “Federal and State Digital Opportunity Programs—Recent Updates and Future Plans” took a deep dive into how local agencies can leverage significant federal investments to expand digital access and inclusion for older adults.
On the main conference floor:
- In the panel “AI and Aging: The New Digital Frontier”, leaders from AARP, Open AI, and OATS delved into the challenges and opportunities that older adults face as they begin to use AI and stressed the need for responsible development and deployment that protects users’ rights and well-being.
- As a featured panelist on “On Aging Institute: A Hub for Collaboration, Learning & Innovation” and “Empowering Change: Expanding Evidence-Based Programs in Rural Communities,” Tom brought insights which spotlighted the power of partnerships and innovation to create lasting change for older adults.
Mark your calendar—let’s shape the future together at On Aging 2026 in Atlanta!
Written by Saunya Connelly
