It's existence and why it needs to be addressed.

1. The Gap Between Elderly People
and Technology:
it’s existence and why it needs
to be addressed

2. Currently, access and usage of the
Internet amongst seniors is limited.
Smith, 2015

3. Two-thirds of the 74+ population do not own a
computer and virtually none have a tablet
computer or smart phone.
In fact, only 30%
of the 74+
population
indicated that
they even go
online at all.
Smith, 2015

4. In a 2014 study, older adults were more likely
to value “necessities” as a landline telephone,
television, or cable TV rather than a home
computer or cell phone.
Hudson, 2014

5. 77% of 18-24
year olds agree
When nothing is occupying my
attention, the first thing I do is reach
for my phone.
When nothing is occupying my
attention, the first thing I do is
reach for my phone.
only 10% of 65+
year olds agree
Digital behaviour in Canada per generation is
vastly different.
Krashinsky, 2015

6. As of 2014, only around half of
seniors over 65 have used the Web.
Matrix, 2017

7. Complex process for seniors to get
equipment and/or the service needed
to acquire it.
The gap in online access among
older seniors is not surprising.
Few technology vendors focus
on the older age cohorts.
Smith, 2015

8. Notably, older adults aged
65 and over were found
to be less likely to use the
internet or a computer in
the future due to lack of
interest.
In 2010, only 31% of
older adults in America
used high speed
internet compared with
75% of adults aged
30-49 and 63% of
adults aged 50-64.
Kim, 2014

9. After interviewing people at seniors homes, older
adults find technology confusing to use, too
expensive to purchase, difficult to understand,
and overall incompatible with their lifestyle.
Matrix, 2017

10. “People are living to be older. I am 93 years
old and able to do nothing. They aren’t
thinking of real old people.”
The Linkage Survey, 2011

11. “I love computer technology. I had that
equipment prior to my stroke, I’ve tried many
times but touch system is not working, as it
affected fine motor parts.”
The Linkage Survey, 2011

12. “Technology is important and serves many areas
of daily living but is also very intimidating and
intrusive depending on your view of it in regard
to one’s personal preferences.”
The Linkage Survey, 2011

13. 77% of older people would need someone to help
walk them through the process of setting up a
new device.
Using touchscreens may come naturally enough
to a toddler but not necessarily for an older
person - the nerves in the finger become less
sensitive with age, meaning older people may
"touch" far more heavily.
Wakefield, 2015

14. Why does this gap need to
be addressed?

15. By 2050, two billion people will be
over the age of 60.
Hay, 2015

16. Longer lifespans can be attributed in part to the
development of new technologies, but ironically new
technologies are never focused on making day-to-
day life easier for the elderly.
Hay, 2015

17. Older adults’ willingness and ability to adapt
to technology is influenced by the availability
of technological support in their network of
family and friends.
Coughlin, 2014

18. Technology enables older adults and
seniors to be more active and improve
their quality of life.
Kim, 2014

19. Seniors can more easily
communicate with their
children and grandkids
through email,
Facebook, Twitter,
Skype, and other social
media platforms.
Kim, 2014

20. Bridging the Gap

21. Apple and IBM announced in a joint venture
that they are designing iPad apps set to come
out by 2020 that will be "very easy to use for
seniors to use”.
Aimed to start in the Japanese market, the
apps will help connect millions of older people
with healthcare services.
Apple Inc., 2015

22. Access to high speed connectivity needs to be
a fundamental right in Canada – it’s becoming
a critical component of participatory cultural
citizenship.
This is incredibly important for seniors as
they should have a certain amount of
digital literacy.
Matrix, 2017

23. Closing the technology gap between
generations will improve seniors’ overall
quality of live and is beneficial to all parties.
Kim, 2014

24. Works Cited
Apple
Inc.
(2015,
April
30).
Apple
(Canada)
-­‐
Apple
Press
Info
-­‐
Japan
Post
Group,
IBM
and
Apple
Deliver
iPads
and
Custom
Apps
to
Connect
Elderly
in
Japan
to
Services,
Family
and
Community.
Retrieved
March
02,
2017,
from
hLps://www.apple.com/ca/pr/library/2015/04/30Japan-­‐Post-­‐Group-­‐IBM-­‐and-­‐Apple-­‐Deliver-­‐iPads-­‐and-­‐
Custom-­‐Apps-­‐to-­‐Connect-­‐Elderly-­‐in-­‐Japan-­‐to-­‐Services-­‐Family-­‐and-­‐Community.html
Coughlin,
J.
F.
(2014).
Technology,
innovaTon,
and
developing
a
NexGen
aging
services
workforce.
Public
Policy
&
Aging
Report
24,
6–9.
doi:
10.1093/ppar/prt009
Hay,
T.
(2015,
June
29).
Technology
InnovaTons
That
Could
Help
the
Elderly.
Retrieved
February
27,
2017,
from
hLps://www.wsj.com/arTcles/technology-­‐innovaTons-­‐that-­‐could-­‐help-­‐the-­‐elderly-­‐1435245122
Hudson,
R.
B.
(2014).
Aging
and
Technology:
The
Promise
and
the
Paradox.
Public
Policy
&
Aging
Report,
24(1),
3-­‐5.
doi:10.1093/ppar/prt010
Kim,
K.,
Chodzko-­‐Zajko,
W.,
Schwingel,
A.,
&
McDonagh,
D.
C.
(2014).
Understanding
older
individuals’
emoTonal
responses
to
new
technology
associated
with
healthy
lifestyle
choice
.
Journal
of
Physical
Educa?on
and
Sport,
14(2).
Retrieved
March
01,
2017.
Krashinsky,
S.
(2015,
May
11).
AdverTsers
cash
in
on
aLenTon
spans
of
digitally
savvy
Canadians.
Retrieved
March
02,
2017,
from
hLp://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-­‐on-­‐business/industry-­‐news/markeTng/microsod-­‐
study-­‐looks-­‐at-­‐aLenTon-­‐span-­‐of-­‐digitally-­‐savvy-­‐canadians/arTcle24359527/
Matrix,
S.
(Director).
(2017,
January).
Film
240
Lecture
1.
Retrieved
February
23,
2017.
Smith,
A.
(2015,
April
01).
U.S.
Smartphone
Use
in
2015.
Retrieved
March
01,
2017,
from
hLp://
www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/01/us-­‐smartphone-­‐use-­‐in-­‐2015/
The
Linkage
Survey.
(2011,
November).
Technology
Survey
Age
65
to
100.
Retrieved
March
02,
2017,
from
hLps://
www.ageinplacetech.com/files/aip/Linkage%20Technology%20Survey%20Final_2.pdf
Wakefield,
J.
(2015,
May
25).
The
generaTon
that
tech
forgot.
Retrieved
February
26,
2017,
from
hLp://
www.bbc.com/news/technology-­‐32511489

25. Image Citations
All images used are directly from Flickr, and have explicitly stated that they are
available for reuse in this context.