For Seniors, Technology May Boost Brain Health — and One Denver Woman Is Proof

When Wanda Woods signed up for a high school typing course, she didn’t imagine it would lead to a lifelong career in technology. Her father had told her typing skills could open doors, and he was right — while still a junior, Woods was hired part-time at the Environmental Protection Agency. Her supervisor introduced her to a bulky word processor that stored information on magnetic cards. “I thought, ‘I kinda like this,’” Woods, now 67, recalled.

That early curiosity became a career. Over the decades, Woods worked her way through IBM desktops, Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheets, and Windows 3.1. By 2012 — the same year more than half of Americans over 65 were online — she launched her own computer training business. Today, she teaches at Senior Planet in Denver, an AARP-backed program helping older adults master digital skills. Retirement isn’t on her radar. “Staying involved with tech keeps me in the know,” she said.

Her story mirrors new scientific findings. A large analysis of 57 studies involving more than 411,000 people over age 50 found that using digital devices — from computers and smartphones to the internet — was linked to better cognitive test scores and lower rates of dementia. The research, published in Nature Human Behavior, was conducted by Baylor University’s Michael Scullin and the University of Texas at Austin’s Jared Benge. Nearly 90% of the studies showed a protective effect.

“It flips the script that technology is always bad,” said Dr. Murali Doraiswamy, a neurocognitive disorders expert at Duke University, who was not involved in the research.

Researchers caution that the data cannot prove causation — it’s unclear whether tech use strengthens the brain or if cognitively healthier people are simply more likely to embrace technology. Still, the connection persisted even after adjusting for education, health, and income.

The benefits may stem from the mental challenge of learning and adapting to ever-changing tools, from operating system updates to troubleshooting new apps. Technology also helps seniors stay socially connected and independent, with tools for shopping, banking, and reminders that aid daily living.

Risks remain: older adults can be prime targets for online scams, and excessive screen time can displace other healthy activities. “Technology can’t substitute for exercise, good diet, and face-to-face interaction,” Doraiswamy warned.

For Woods, technology is more than a skill — it’s a gateway to richer experiences. She pays bills online, manages her calendar digitally, and recently turned to AI chatbots to plan a South Carolina RV trip. Now she’s using them to organize a family cruise for her 50th wedding anniversary.

In a digital world often met with skepticism, Woods offers a counterpoint: technology, used wisely, can be both empowering and mind-sharpening — even well past retirement age.