Comment
Seniors are not technophobes
How can information technology help older people? What do seniors think about cyberspace? Council on the Ageing (Australia)’s Information Manager, Helen Scott, provides some answers.
New technology has enormous potential to benefit the lives of older people – it can transcend time, space, gender and age. The Internet offers intriguing possibilities for maintaining social connections. It can bring new experiences and stimulation as well as accessing information. Learning online can open new doors for people who are homebound or isolated. Similarly, technologies like teleconferencing, ‘smart homes’, alarm and monitoring devices can help people to be more independent.
The much touted ‘information superhighway’ is now actually rather old-hat. The concept has been overtaken by the e-words — e-commerce, e-trade, e-info. Considering that governments plan to make information and services available via the World Wide Web it makes sense to ask some questions. Will information continue to be available in other formats? Will people who do not have access to the Internet be disadvantaged? It is vital that older Australians are not excluded from the benefits of the information economy – through lack of exposure or lack of skills or access. Equipment costs and poor design are also barriers.
Australian and European research shows that older people generally have negative attitudes to computers, and low rates of email or web use.
But this picture is changing fast. Recent studies suggest that people over 60 are logging on to the Internet in more numbers than any other group, and using it to shop. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that the proportion of Australians over 55 accessing the Internet doubled between May 1998 and May 1999, from five to ten per cent. Ageing-related websites grew from 25 in mid-1995 to 2000 by mid-1998. A good place to start looking at them is COTA’s website at http://www.cota.org.au . Here you can also find websites done by or for senior surfers.
There are programmes to help seniors make the most of information technology. At COTA in Western Australia, learners can start with a course called "Computing for the mortally terrified". Other State COTAs also run computer and Internet classes, or can put people in touch with courses and computer clubs.
Learning to use a computer does not require any particular talent – computers are patient, provide immediate feedback and require minimal physical skill (unless you are hooked on games!). The skills learned can be transferred to other situations such as online banking or share trading.
COTA has published a booklet in its Strategic Ageing series, called Seniors in Cyberspace – older people and information, which reviews the issues in detail and looks at future possibilities. It also provides answers about the sorts of information older people need, how they find it, and the best ways of delivering it. Contact COTA on 9820 2655 for a copy (cost is $10.00).
