We treat them like dinosaurs –they do not know what a computer is, they do not use mobile phones , their world is only filled with paper books and old yellow letters. Have you ever thought about pensioners as common users of new technology? Maybe it is high time to think about it. In 2005 only about 30% people over 70 years old have ever used Internet in USA. In Poland –this number is almost 10 times lower. In the same time the general percentage of Internet holders (at home) was above 60% in USA and above 25% in Poland. Why does it look like this? Do not seniors need the Internet? Or maybe we do not give them a chance of using it?
Could you imagine my pride and happiness when one morning I received an e-mail from my grandfather? He is eighty but his age does not stop him from keeping up with ict news. We often forget that people in their ages are like us prospective users of computers, internet or mobile phones.
What opportunities are offered to elderly people via internet? Are they more important than the difficulties connected with using it? These are the main questions which I will try to answer and I am waiting for your experiences and thoughts about it.
I would like to start from difficulties- they are first because just after overcoming them the profits come. There are many people in their age who have plenty of free time –left by their children and grandchildren having a lot of duties. Very often they do not have neither opportunities nor abilities to go out and lead social or cultural life. Then there is a moment when they discover that computer with the internet could be the solution. However, how to do this? There are many problems connected.
First difficulty is to conquer the feelings like shame or fear. After that the question appears: how to find a proper equipment and where to buy it. This is the time when elderly people may need our help. OK, there is a new computer and internet connection in some grandma’s or grandpa’s home. What now? Most of people do not know what to do with all these cables or keys. Actually this problem is aptly presented in this advertisement of one of PC guides for seniors. We could title it "SENIORS NEED OF NEW TECHNOLOGY AND THEIR DIFFICULTIES".
You can say that above-mentioned problems are too big to deal with and that would be better for seniors to remain a member of pre-ict generation. Nevertheless, are not the profits worth some effort? So, what does the internet offers people in their 70thies or 80thies?
For those whose families are far away internet could be a chance for staying in touch with rising grandchildren and successful children. There is a notable application which provides a contact with family, storing photos or films sent by internet, offers a calendar and private notes – it is called connected living. The short film presents basic assumptions of "Connected Living".
Computer with internet connection and such application with easy panel is a real change in someone’s lonely life. They can even find love via Internet!
And what about seniors who have a good relation with their families? The internet is also for them! My grandpa is still an active man –he gives speeches during conferences, he is a conductor, he works in garden a lot. And my grandma loves her flowers, wool and dishes. Do they need the Internet? You can see them in the pictures below: they use an internet, mobile phones and Xerox machine. What for?
To find the new receipts for my favorite dish when I visit them; to buy new notes for the choir; to be in touch with corporations and cultural associations; to prepare presentation for the conferences; to read news in the world of culture, policy etc.
Thus, have you ever thought what do your grandparents need internet for? How many seniors in your country use ICT? If they do so, what do they use it for? If they do not, why do not they? Are the difficulties bigger than the opportunities?
These are the questions which we need to ask and we need to search the answers.
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