Here, in the state of Hawaii, where tropical sunsets cast a warm glow and the pace of life aligns with the gentle ebb and flow of the Pacific Ocean, Grandma Tanaka, a woman in her late 70s, finds herself navigating life at a slower pace and with a little more effort. Now, she faces the challenges associated with aging, and the responsibility to care for her and the people of her generation has become an increasingly pressing concern — a societal challenge knocking on our door.

According to the 2020 Census, 1 in 5 residents is currently 65 years of age or older, and nearly 1 in 3 residents will be over the age of 60 by 2035.

The surge in demand for health care services as a result of the state’s aging population will exacerbate the shortage of medical professionals in the state, further placing additional pressure on limited, available resources. Hence, there needs to be a strategic reassessment of how the state will address the challenges posed by its aging population and adapt the healthcare system to meet those evolving needs.

Jamie Sharp, M.D., vice president and Medicare chief medical officer for Aetna, emphasizes the potential of virtual care as a robust weapon in overcoming provider shortages as the number of seniors starts to rise. The growth of virtual care in the health sector offers a more convenient and accessible alternative to traditional doctor’s appointments, such as alleviating transportation concerns.

Reports from West Health and United States of Care demonstrate that nearly half of individuals age 65 and over have embraced virtual care following the COVID-19 pandemic, which required seniors to adapt to the integration of virtual care. Thus, the expansion of virtual care stands out as a promising solution. With a few taps on her tablet, Grandma Tanaka can receive instant, real-time guidance on disease treatment and management from her healthcare provider — all from the comfort of her home.

To promote the growth and utilization of virtual care in the state, collaborative efforts are imperative to integrate it within the health care sector. The challenge lies in streamlining virtual care, which requires a sufficient presence of telenavigators for human assistance and an adequate number of hotspots.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, to overcome this challenge, the Hawaii Department of Health (DOH) partnered with the Hawaii State Public Library System and the Pacific Basin Telehealth Resource Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa to bring digital navigators and telehealth services to 15 libraries in underserved and rural areas statewide. To expand on this initiative, we must organize instructional sessions at more local libraries to further support seniors in navigating the platform alone, as well as recruit people who can visit the homes of seniors, offering technological support.

As the health care landscape evolves, the integration of virtual care stands out as a resilient solution, meeting the needs of the state’s aging population and addressing the multifaceted challenge at hand. Thus, we, as a state, must expand on this initiative for the health of our seniors, including Grandma Tanaka.

Kristal Xie, born and raised in Hawaii, is pursuing her master’s degree at the Department of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.