Bridging the gap between older people and technology
BY Lucia Dore and Carole Railton
5th Oct 2023 Lifestyle
5 min read
Older people traditionally struggle with new tech, but it doesn't have to be this way. With the right design, even the most reluctant user can reap the benefits
A lack of understanding of technology—AI in particular—and its benefits, as well as difficulty in using a particular technology, such as a smartphone or computer, means that many older people are reluctant to migrate from the old to the new. This is a mistake.
The challenge and logic of older people embracing technology
The challenge society must address is the lack of confidence some older people feel about using technology. We must find ways to boost the skillsets of seniors so that they enter the later years of their lives in the modern world with enthusiasm. Remember, everyone gets old.
Older people themselves must consider whether they want to embrace new technology, much of it based on AI, or let the benefits pass them by. Technology, often in the form of social media, has enabled seniors to meet new friends, keep in touch with old ones and learn new skills.
"We must find ways to boost the skillsets of seniors so that they enter the later years of their lives in the modern world with enthusiasm"
The stark truth is that, in all probability, seniors have less time left to live than the younger generations. Surely, then, it makes sense for them to adopt systems that make their lives as easy as possible.
What is the best way to give older people the tools they need to learn about AI? Would understanding the benefits of AI encourage older people to embrace technology?
What do older people want from technology?
The reasons why some older people adopt new technology are likely to be twofold: they’re compelled to do so and they want to make their lives easier. These reasons are important for anyone who realises seniors need to be convinced to engage with technology to consider.
Adopting new technology is often imperative for us all to do, yet some older people still insist, “I have managed before without technology. Why do I have to use it now?”
Effects of COVID on confidence with technology
The COVID-19 pandemic led to a more widespread adoption of new tech by older people, who are now more confident using it
Necessity can compel older people to use technology. A good example is the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased social isolation and, as a result, technology adoption.
Some 44 per cent of people aged 50 and older are more comfortable with technology now than they were before the pandemic, according to a 2021 World Economic Forum report.
"The pandemic led to seniors feeling more confident using technology"
A study carried out by AARP in April 2021 reinforces this. It shows that the pandemic led to seniors feeling more confident using technology, including email, social media, video calling friends and relatives, thereby avoiding social isolation.
Another study from December 2021 shows that more than 80 per cent of people aged 50-plus, 79 per cent of those in their sixties and 72 per cent of those in their seventies rely on technology to stay connected.
Christmas gifts and making sure they’re used
Sometimes, it’s something as simple as a Christmas present that compels a senior to change their habits. When a loved one gives them a technological device, older people often make sure they use it, even if it’s something they have previously been reluctant to adopt.
For example, they may have been resistant to buying a smartphone, but if they receive one as a Christmas gift, they are highly likely to use it.
Making life more comfortable or frustrating?
Older people are also more likely to embrace technology if it makes their way of life comfortable, helps them achieve a better standard of living than they have currently and means they can remain independent.
Seniors often become frustrated with technology. “It’s not working,” is a refrain co-author Lucia heard many times from her late father, especially when it came to his cell phone—and he used technology well, for the most part.
Often, the problem was that he was unable to use the small keypad on his phone or read the letter size of the words in text messages he received.
Design changes in devices and web pages
Older people prefer a more simple interface when using technology
Since some seniors are not comfortable and confident using technology, a device being designed to enhance rather than detract from the health and wellbeing of these older people when they use it is important.
This was highlighted by the World Health Organisation in a global report on ageism. In it, Alana Officer, unit head of Demographic Change and Healthy Ageing at WHO, says: “To ensure that Al technologies play a beneficial role, ageism must be identified and eliminated from their design, development, use and evaluation.”
The problems associated with technology design and seniors have gone back decades.
One issue that needs to be addressed is the design of technology. Seniors tend to want web pages to be simple and clear, and navigation to be easy. One study from 2005 shows that many seniors like a website to be user-friendly with a simple interface.
"To ensure that Al technologies play a beneficial role, ageism must be identified and eliminated from their design"
“A simpler and more uniformly designed internet would help to break down the psychological barriers outlined,” it states. Even though that study was carried out some time ago, this problem with web design still stands.
Web pages for older people—in fact, for everyone—must be easy to navigate, the design familiar and pleasant to look at and the words easy to read.
These pages must also be responsive and provide all the information that seniors (and others) are looking for. For this reason, websites need to be comprehensive, informative and up-to -ate.
Online help
Making web pages easier to use is only one way that the internet could be made easier for the older person. Another is online help. In this respect, it is important to ensure that online help is user-friendly.
Is it easy to access? Do only chatbots reply to online enquiries or does a real person do it? Is there a telephone advice centre? Would older people (and those with disabilities) benefit from a simplification of online help and error message terminology?
Social media
When it comes to the internet, there is no getting away from the fact that social media is important for interaction. Therefore, how is social media impacted by the need to be more user-friendly for seniors?
Can seniors, who have not yet embraced social media, be encouraged to do so? Although age must be taken into account, it is unlikely to be enough. Technology must make life easier.
Older people-friendly gadgets
How much older people use new technology in the future, such as VR and AI, depends on how well it is designed for them
It is also important that the benefits of gadgets, particularly those used in the kitchen, living room and bedroom, outweigh the negative impacts of learning and becoming confident users.
The main problems associated with technology and how these can be addressed must be identified. It is not only the age of the user and design of the technology that matters, but also the fact that technology must be used to make day-to-day activities easier for seniors.
Overall, the future for older people regarding technology, and AI in particular, looks bright, but they must be willing to embrace it. This means they must learn how to use it, and use it well.
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