The document summarizes a project run by FACT that engaged older adults in learning to use iPads through creative workshops over 7 months. The project partnered with 7 sheltered housing schemes and engaged 40 older residents plus additional family and staff. Sessions covered various topics to build iPad skills, such as Skype Bingo. A celebration event was held to close the project. Feedback found that the informal, social learning approach helped older adults feel more comfortable with technology and 45% purchased their own iPads to stay connected. Maintaining consistent sessions was important to keep residents engaged.

1. Laura Yates
Community Programmer
FACT

2. Working with Older People
• We have a long history of working with older
people using digital creativity – since 1999 in fact!
• Our processes depend on our groups and
partners - we use story-telling, artists workshops,
exhibitions, visits, debates, etc to engage with
older people.
• The world is changing rapidly and many services
will soon be exclusively available only online.
Statistics show that 60% of people over 60 have
never used the internet.

3. Can you Hear Me? I Can See You!
• Our most recent project was with 7 Your Housing
Sheltered Schemes, an artist collective and what
we call ‘an artist facilitator’
• The project engaged with 40 older people plus
many more staff, other residents and family
members.
• Using ipad as a medium we explored the world of
the internet over 7 months through creative
learning sessions and arts-based interactions.

7. What we did.
• We ran 35 sessions with 7
sheltered housing schemes over 7
months.
• Each session was designed to
combat a new area of learning or
build on existing skill – for
example Skype Bingo
• 40 Core Residents where engaged
plus another 40-50 family, staff
and other residents.
• We held a celebration exhibition
and event at FACT to present our
work to members of the general
public and stakeholders.
• We approached the Baring
Foundation to apply for their
older people’s digital inclusion
grant.
• We worked in partnership with
Your Housing to strengthen the
bid and agree on activity, in-kind
and match funded support

8. Engaging and Maintaining
• Engaging with the 40 core residents was time
consuming, consistency is very important to older
people.
• Sessions started with cups of tea and where informal
which aided in the engagement process – a sort of ipad
coffee morning model
• Using ipad’s was great – they are intuitive, visual and
break down all the barriers of keyboard, mouse and
screen.
• Scheme managers where really on-side and that
helped massively with keeping residents engaged.

9. Challenges
• We attended each scheme 3 times per month
which was the minimum we felt to maintain
contact. The geographic location of the
schemes posed a challenge for staff.
• Half of the residents bought ipads which was
great! This was an issue for those who
couldn’t afford though – ipad suites (or
tablets) in schemes or one in a main area
secured could work.

10. Bringing to a close
We had a big celebration event in FACT, Liverpool to
close the project which was important for a sense
of closure for the Older People.
It was widely felt by the groups that continuing this
kind of social learning around digital inclusion
would be positive for both residents and staff –
bringing different people into the scheme and new
experiences improves feelings of wellbeing and
isolation.

11. Some Statistics
• 45% of the core resident group purchased their
own ipads and started using what they’d learnt in
their classes to communicate with their families
and utility companies.
• 90% of core resident group said they felt learning
about the internet and technologies in this way
helped them to get to grips with it more
effectively.
• 30% of residents involved over 95 the rest aged
between 55-90.

12. Some Quotes
• As a result of the project I’ve bought myself an ipad!
• If more older people got involved with learning about
using things like ipad it would help with feeling like
your slowing down its good to keep your brain active.
Its not good to get set in your ways.
• We’ve learned to do something different using an ipad,
I’ve never used one before.
• We’ve been learning things we’d never have known
about. It gives you a new perspective on life and a new
way of communicating with people.

13. Films
http://www.fact.co.uk/projects/can-you-hear-me-i-can-see-
you!/