Live virtual tours support physical wellness, social connections, and brain health; see Spectrum News coverage for live tour in action
Discover Live is proud to expand its partnership with the New York State Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) and the Association on Aging in New York (AgingNY) to provide immersive virtual travel experiences for older adults. These interactive tours are designed to enhance physical wellness, foster social connections, and promote brain health.
To date, this partnership has delivered 734 virtual tours to 11,010 older adults at 51 sites across New York State. Now, the program is doubling its reach, expanding to 51 additional sites and bringing the joy of virtual travel to thousands more seniors. These tours are hosted at senior centers, congregate meal sites, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), and other community spaces.
Connecting Through Global ExperiencesParticipants have had the chance to visit diverse destinations, including Bahia, Brazil; Washington, DC; Croatia; Banff, Canada; Hawaii; Assisi, Italy; Gdansk, Poland; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Dublin, Ireland; Mexico City; Lisbon, Portugal; and more—all from the comfort of their community spaces.
Voices of LeadershipGreg Olsen, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging, shared his thoughts on the partnership:“There are many reasons that older adults don’t or can’t travel. This includes fear of falls, finances, fear of COVID, and having no one to travel with. This partnership accomplishes many things. It increases friendships and combats loneliness by organizing groups to meet up to five times per month, traveling to more than 200 locations across the globe. This experience allows people to learn about various cultures, traditions, and, even for many, to virtually visit where their ancestors came from. We are so pleased to expand this partnership to another 51 locations across New York State.”
Becky Preve, Executive Director of AgingNY, added,“The ability for older individuals to participate in live, interactive, and safe travel across the globe via Discover Live has been inspirational. This program breaks down many of the barriers faced by older individuals that limit the ability to travel abroad and allows this travel virtually, in real time. The Association on Aging in New York applauds this partnership that is showing incredible outcomes for individuals who participate. We are thrilled to see this expansion.”
Innovating Aging ServicesJason Wei, Founder and CEO of Discover Live, said:“Our expanded partnership with NYSOFA and AgingNY is a significant milestone in our mission to bring meaningful travel experiences to older adults. By incorporating brain exercises, multilingual capabilities, and specialized tours for individuals with visual impairments, we’ve ensured these tours address five dimensions of wellness. With the addition of Adora, our AI travel concierge, each tour becomes even more personalized and impactful. Together, we are proving that lifelong learning, social connection, and world exploration know no geographic boundaries.”
A Broader Vision for WellnessDiscover Live’s virtual tours are part of a broader effort by NYSOFA to address social isolation and improve health outcomes for older adults. According to AARP and the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), loneliness and isolation are equivalent to smoking nearly a pack of cigarettes per day and cost Medicare more than $7 billion annually to treat. These conditions exacerbate chronic illnesses, increase the risk of mortality, and significantly raise the likelihood of developing dementia. Programs like Discover Live’s virtual tours directly combat these challenges by creating opportunities for meaningful social engagement and lifelong learning.
Join the JourneyDiscover Live is honored to continue working with NYSOFA and AgingNY to make the world more accessible for older adults. With this expanded partnership, we are creating transformative experiences that inspire connection and joy.
Learn more about NYSOFA's public-private partnerships. Read their NYS Innovations in Aging report and watch their video series here.
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