Left Out of the Waiting Room: A Youth Perspective on Telehealth and the Global Exclusion of Older Adults

As a member of the young generation in the 2000s, I grew up in a world where healthcare was at my fingertips – I could schedule an appointment online, message doctors through apps with ease, and even participate in video visits from anywhere in the world. For my generation, digital health isn’t necessarily the “future,” it's the default. However, the more I learn about global public health and intergenerational advocacy spaces, such as the Gray Panthers, the more I recognize how the digital revolution has left behind the very people who need care the most.

Telehealth was intended to expand access, but instead, it has quietly created a new kind of inequality – one that divides people by their age. 

Older adults already face higher rates of chronic illness, mobility limitations, and social isolation, yet they are now expected to navigate systems not built with them in mind. When technology becomes a barrier instead of a bridge, it creates injustice rather than expanding access as intended.

Telehealth’s Promise, and Its Blind Spots

Telehealth surged during the COVID-19 pandemic and ended up becoming a lifeline for millions around the world. However, research shows that older adults are far less likely to benefit from these systems (Alodhialah et al., 2024). Many platforms are designed for younger, tech-native users, making platforms harder to navigate for older adults and those less familiar with technology. In 2024, only about 28% of adults aged 65 and older were online globally, compared to approximately 67% of the general population (Global Internet Access: Data Reports 2026, 2026). Limited digital literacy support further widens this gap.

Websites and apps often include complex menus, small text, low contrast, and rapid navigation requirements that can be especially challenging for individuals with cognitive, visual, or motor impairments. Many systems also require reliable broadband access and smartphones, further excluding lower-income communities. 

A global review found most telehealth research focuses on younger adults, often overlooking the needs of older adults in design, testing, and policy. This results in systems assuming universal digital fluency when many, particularly older adults, are not included. This global gap is core to why the digital shift in healthcare remains incomplete.

A Global Digital Divide with Real Health Consequences

The digital divide is now increasingly recognized as a social determinant of health. Across 23 countries, digital exclusion has been linked to delayed diagnoses, reduced access to specialists, missed follow-ups, increased caregiver dependence, and poorer management of chronic conditions.

In low-income communities, these barriers are even steeper, they are compounded by limited broadband access, fewer digital devices, and health systems that digitize faster than communities can adapt to. In middle‑income countries, rapid telehealth expansion often overlooks older adults entirely. Even in high‑income countries, accessibility is inconsistent and often inequitable.

Telehealth should be framed as a right to accessible care instead of being treated as a universal standard that assumes everyone can participate equally.

The Mental Health Toll of Digital Exclusion

Digital exclusion also carries significant mental health consequences. Studies show that older adults who struggle with digital tools experience:

• Increased loneliness

• Higher anxiety

• Lower confidence in managing their health

• Reduced access to mental‑health services

• Greater risk of cognitive decline

For young people, digital connection is automatic. For many older adults, it can be a source of stress and frustration. When telehealth replaces in‑person care without accessible alternatives, it deepens isolation rather than reducing it.

Why This Matters to Young People

As a high school student advocating for global health equity, I am part of the first generation to grow up fully digital, and that brings both privilege and responsibility. We understand technology intuitively, but we must also question how it is built and who it excludes. 

As young people, these barriers may feel distant, but they are often much closer than we realize. The older adults struggling to navigate telehealth systems are frequently our parents, grandparents, neighbors, and caregivers. When technology fails them, it affects entire families. Many young people already find themselves helping older relatives schedule appointments, troubleshoot video calls, or navigate online portals. These moments reveal how easily digital healthcare can become inaccessible, even within our own homes. After all, aging is not a niche issue, it is our shared future.

Telehealth should not be a privilege reserved for those fluent in digital systems. It should be a universal tool for dignity, access, and connection. If young people remain silent, we risk inheriting, and eventually aging into the same systems that failed those before us.

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Author Biography: Manasvi Sharma is a high school student interested in global public health, neuroscience, and mental health advocacy. She advocates for public and mental health issues in her community through education, advocacy, and the creation of accessible resources, with a focus on ensuring that populations across generations are not overlooked.