Why Digital Inclusion is Important for Older People
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Digital inclusion is important for older people for several reasons: 1) Using the internet can alleviate loneliness and social isolation for older individuals by connecting them with others. 2) The internet provides educational and learning opportunities which can benefit older adults. 3) Going online allows older people to access financial and public services more easily. However, there are also several barriers that prevent greater internet use among older populations, including lack of skills/training, cost issues, and fears about privacy or reliability of technology. Organizations like Age UK West Cumbria are working to increase digital inclusion for older adults by providing awareness programs, training opportunities, and technical support.
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Why Digital Inclusion is Important for Older People
- 1. Why digital inclusion is important for older people Peta Leigh Active Living Manager Age UK West Cumbria 10th June 2014
- 2. Introduction/Overview What we’re about to cover: •Extracts from recent digital review by Age UK •The ‘What’ the Internet •The ‘Who’ older people •Current use •Benefits •Barriers •Age UK West Cumbria •The Future
- 3. Who are we talking about Individuals Aged 55+ Some factors that influence the likelihood of an individual aged 55+ using the internet or not: • Age • Income • Household composition
- 4. What do older people use the Internet for? Internet activities by age group (% of GB population) 55-64 65+ Sending/receiving emails 69 41 Finding information about goods and services 66 34 Buying goods or services over the Internet 61 32 Using services related to travel or travel related accommodation 42 22 Reading or downloading online news, newspapers or news magazines 38 20 Internet banking 43 18 Playing or downloading games, images, films, or music 27 12 Listening to web radio or watching web television 27 12 Uploading self-created content for example text, photos, music, videos, etc 22 11 Telephoning or making video calls over the Internet 23 11 Social networking, for example Facebook or Twitter 24 10 Posting messages to chat sites, blogs, forums, or instant messaging 18 7 Selling goods or services, for example eBay 15 5 Making a medical appointment 11 4 Creating websites or blogs 1 1 ONS GB 2012
- 5. The Benefits The benefits of internet use for older people: • Alleviating loneliness and social isolation • Educational attainment and lifelong learning • Financial advantage • Accessing public services
- 6. Barriers to using the Internet • Attitudes • Lack of awareness • Previous experience • Fear • Reliability • Cost • Skills and training • Practicality • Concerns about privacy and security
- 7. Age UK West Cumbria: what are we doing locally? • Raising awareness • Education/training/learning opportunities • Technical support and assistance
- 8. Age UK West Cumbria: what are we doing locally?
- 9. Age UK West Cumbria: what are we doing nationally? • Digital TV Switchover Pilot, 2007-8 (Central Govt.) • Reach for IT, 2010-11 (Age UK) • ‘Saving Money Online’, 2011 (Age UK) • ‘Get Connected’, 2012 (Age UK) • ‘Rural Online Pilot’, 2014 (Tinder Foundation)
- 10. Digital Inclusion and the Future Q. What needs to be in place for successful digital inclusion? A. Better interventions! • Personal perception helping to develop a positive attitude o interest o motivation o relevance o affordability • Culture o Older age o Technophobia o Interpersonal relationships • Social support o Co-participation o Resource sharing • Operational skills working towards the ‘experienced learner’ o Navigation o Physiological limitations
- 11. THE END!!
Editor's Notes
- Recognition and thanks must go to Age UK and the authors of their Digital Inclusion Evidence Review, Marcus Green and Phil Rossall, produced in 2013. Some of the information used in this presentation is based on that review. Of note: when we talk about Digital Inclusion today, the “What” usually refers to ‘using the Internet’. In the past it might have referred to using computers more generally.
- ‘Age’ is the Number One factor! There are others but these are the main ones There is a decreasing likelihood of using the internet as age increases. Those at older ages (75+) are over five times more likely NOT to be using the internet than individuals aged 55 to 64.
- I’m not going to go through all these but you can see that, although the usage is higher in the 55 – 64 age bracket, the activities are similar and internet is used for a wide variety of activities.
- The benefits are much the same as for any age group and are widening all the time. Alleviating loneliness and social isolation There is now a weight of evidence that shows internet use helps older people combat social isolation and some good evidence of its positive effects on loneliness. A review of peer-reviewed journals in 2013 described the benefits derived by older people in terms of reduced social isolation and loneliness from a wide range of studies from several countries. Another recent report (2012) from the International Longevity Centre UK indicates a similar pattern of effectiveness of internet use for combating loneliness in older people in the community in this country. It also found that people who reported not using the internet were more likely to say that they 'often' felt isolated from others and that people who said they did use the internet were more likely to respond that they 'hardly ever or never' felt isolated. A 2008 study based on regression analysis found that using the internet as a communication tool is associated with lower levels of social loneliness among older people. In West Cumbria we have older people who do not have family living close to them because, for example, they have retired to the area or their families have moved away for work. Learning to Skype or send photos via e mail has enabled them to maintain closer links with families. Educational attainment and lifelong learning On line courses and just learning how to use the equipment is stimulating and enables older people in rural areas like West Cumbria to access learning opportunities which may not otherwise be available to them. Financial advantage Supporting older people to access online billing, utility comparison sites etc, can help to overcome financial disadvantage. We have also supported people to access benefits information and, of course, for those between 55 and whatever the retirement age is this week – it seems to go up every time I look at what my pension may be whenever I may get it – work age benefits have to be applied for on line. There is also the need for people who have not used computers in their daily working life and who are made redundant to gain skills to enable them to be employable. Accessing public services Virtually everything you want to know about local or other services – looking up my train times for today, etc, is on line. And os the list could go on and on
- So- why aren’t more older people using information technology? Barriers: Attitudes – a perceived lack of need for the Internet by older people Lack of awareness – of the internet and also its potential benefits Previous experience – has been negative of both the internet and computers. They have found it “too confusing” or frustrating Fear – “of computers”, of “breaking it” or of “looking stupid”. Reliability – “it could let you down when you need it” Cost (as a barrier) – increases with age (as a perceived barrier) up to 65 but then falls over 65! Skills and training (the lack of) - stated as the main reason for non-participation Practicality –Disability can still be a barrier, people whose eyesight or dexterity has worsened can find it difficult to use digital technology and are not always aware of the aids that can help them Concerns about privacy and security – regarding online shopping and banking.
- Quite a lot! Raising awareness “IT & Biscuits” “Spring On-line” AUKWC community staff worker referrals to AUKWC digital services Education/training We have around 12 groups now which offer support to older people to learn about digital technology. They are very informal because that is what people tell us they want. They are led by volunteers who offer one to one support where needed and stress that there is no such thing as a ‘stupid question’! I spoke to one of our volunteers as a group yesterday and she confirmed that the social aspect of these groups is just as important – if not more important - than the learning experience. We have lots of examples of older people who were doubtful about digital technology but who are now confident and competent users. We have Doris, who is in her nineties, pictured in the local paper recently showing off her tablet and encouraging others to get involved. We have another lady who was scared even to open her laptop but who now confidently Skypes her grandchildren in Australia and is thrilled to feel connected to them again. A visually impaired lady was supported to access a centre in Carlisle that specialises in software for visually impaired as she wanted to put her crochet patterns on to the computer. She got so enthusiastic about It that she went on to learn how to book a holiday for herself and her husband which led to her acheiving a lifetime ambition to swim with dolphins!! We have Computer drop-ins and the volunteers are known as “Digi-pals” One of our volunteers runs an E bay club where people can learn how to use E bay safely and securely We have a ‘Talk and Tech’ group which was originally set up as part of a cancer support group on the basis that people who were affected by cancer wanted peer support but did not particularly want to attend a group labelled ‘cancer support’. The group has a two-fold purpose in that people come to learn about digital technology whilst knowing that, during the session, everyone there has been affected in some way by cancer and there will always be someone to talk to. Structured online training We have just delivered a pilot course funded by the Tinder Trust which was a very basic level course and was well received as people could learn at their own pace. Technical support and assistance Just started a small project to support people in their own homes as we were continually receiving requests for support Outreach service: Low-level technical support e.g. installing broadband Confidence building
- AUKWC works with many organisations at a national level: Digital TV Switchover - lead partners supporting the UK’s switch-over to digital TV, a pilot-project based in Copeland Reach for IT – for older people in residential care (we won an ISP award) Saving Money Online – advice, shopping, discounts, banking, utility-supplier swaps Get Connected – supported central Age UK in developing a national business model – one of our staff was on the team which developed this. Rural Online – delivered ‘Online Basics’ to 16 rural clients The diagram shows one of the outputs from the ‘Get Connected’ project. At the centre are the vital basics: - ability to use the Internet safely - knowing how to transact online safely Moving out to the next layer of importance: - able to communicate using email and Skype - able to find information the Internet
- Previous interventions have failed to meet some or all of their stated goals because they did not cover all the necessary aspects of personal perception, culture, interpersonal relationships and operational skills. In order to meet the challenge in front of us, the design of future interventions to address digital exclusion must address all of these issues. This is not in anyway to patronise older people – speaking as one myself! But if we are to ensure that the 55+ population is to benefit we need to break down the barriers to digital exclusion and ensure that people understand how digital inclusion can help address so many issues and improve health and well-being for older people. Positive attitude Enable older people to see that IT is not scary and it is for everyone at whatever level they want to use it – it is their choice. Culture IT is part of every day life for all ages Social support & Operational skills Laptops in libraries and community venues – we have obtained funds to take laptops out to people who can’t get in to centres and have also bought tablets and an Age UK ‘Breezie’ so that people can use the technology before they make an investment. Well meaning family members buy equipment that is totally unsuitable and older people then feel guilty that they can’t use it.