Screen time is up for grandma and grandpa episode artwork

EPISODE · Feb 25, 2026 · 13 MIN

Screen time is up for grandma and grandpa

from Short Wave

Folks over 65 are putting in a lot of screen time. In 2019, the Pew Research Center found that people 60 years and older spend more than half their daily leisure time in front of screens, mostly watching TV or videos. Since the pandemic, that screen time has increased. Is addiction on the rise? And what’s the best use of screen time for any of us? We’re parsing out all the questions with Ipsit Vahia, the Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean Hospital. Interested in more stories about how technology is changing daily life? Email us your question at [email protected] to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Feb 25, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Screen time is up for grandma and grandpa

0:00 13:05

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Short Wave?

This episode is 13 minutes long.

When was this Short Wave episode published?

This episode was published on February 25, 2026.

Can I download this Short Wave episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!