Long Island Students Help Keep Seniors Connected During Pandemic

COMMACK, NY — The coronavirus pandemic has led many to rely on virtual medical care, remote socialization and even online connections to loved ones. But seniors are at risk of not having the needed devices and knowledge to maintain routine medical care via telehealth appointments. A student-run nonprofit called TeleHealth Access for Seniors was founded in March 2020 to help address this need.

Vignesh Subramanian is a Stony Brook University student who read about the organization's mission in a student newsletter and saw it as an opportunity to help in a safe way during the pandemic. He now co-leads the New York chapter of the nonprofit which operates in 26 states.

Subramanian and his team of high school and college-aged volunteers are now collecting used devices for Gerwin Jewish Nursing Center in Commack.

"Our primary goal is for seniors to keep medical appointments," for long-term care needs, he told Patch. "But they can also be used keep up with hobbies, and communicate with family."

Every month they identify a facility and try to meet the needs of the residents through both donated devices, and low-cost devices they buy from monetary donations through a GoFundMe page. Any device with a front-facing camera can be used—iPhone 4 and higher, second generation iPads and laptops with a webcam—and for every $50 donated, they can buy an Amazon tablet to donate.

TeleHealth Access for Seniors donated 70 devices last month to a family health clinic. Nationally, the group has donated over 3,000 devices and raised $180,000. Most of the 450 volunteers are high school and college students.

Anyone with a device to donate can submit a form on their website, and volunteers can often come pick up the item or the group will reimburse for the cost of delivery.

And the volunteers' work doesn't end there: a tech support team is on standby to help seniors set up and use their new devices, access their telemedicine appointments and even do online grocery shopping.