Technology inclusivity for the elderly generation

Covid 19 and the lockdowns in the UK has changed the way that we are living across the country. Teaching, Business Meetings and socializing have all moved over to virtual platforms such as Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger etc. ‘70 per cent more people participated in group video calls using Facebook Messenger week-over-week, and the amount time spent on those group video calls has doubled globally.’ (Khaleej Times, 2020). Professor Sophie Scott, Director of the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, has stated that ‘video calling has been proven to be just as good for your brain and happiness as being in the same space’. This is all fine and dandy, but what if you didn’t have an internet connection? Or even a smartphone or a laptop? It seems ludicrous to think of a life without, what we like to call, essential items. But this is the life for thousands of elderly people in the UK, including my grandparents.

Due to fast moving technology world, many elderly users have been left in the dark when it comes to the internet age. According to Age UK, “Forty per cent of the 65+ age group in the UK in 2010 have never used the internet. This equates to approximately 4 million people”.

Loneliness is one of the most overlooked conditions when it comes to elderly people, mainly because it is a mental condition rather than a physical one. “Loneliness is likely to increase your risk of death by 29%” (Holt-Lunstad, 2015). Introduction to technology could connect the elderly with a wider community of people via video calls and help fight loneliness. Life assisted by technology for an elderly person could significantly improve their mental wellbeing, especially during a nationwide pandemic.

Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Most elderly people find the internet daunting and lack confidence when getting started due to lack of experience.

This is due to the technology industry over the years disregarding the elderly community and failing at inclusive design for them. “If you work in the tech industry, it’s easy to forget that older people exist. Most tech workers are really young, so it’s easy to see why most technology is designed for young people.” (Campbell, 2015). The common misconception is that the majority of the elderly community are stubborn and push away new technology where as in reality it is the technology companies that do not design nor market for the elderly.

Fig. 1 - The GrandPad

Progression of technology is inevitable, and it is something you can not stop. Although this is true, it does not mean that you cannot accommodate for a whole market. Fig. 1 shows a grandPad, a tablet designed specifically for the older generation. Features include a simple UX interface, Unlimited 4G connectivity, Unlimited Video call, texts and minutes, email etc. This is the type of device that is perfect for elderly people but comes from a small company and is not very well known. It begs the question why bigger companies have not designed similar products. If more companies designed like this then more elderly people could be introduced to the technology world.

To summarize, technology for the elderly has been ignored by a large majority of the worlds tech giants due to prioritizing a younger market, despite the older generation having a greater need for it.

References

· Age UK (2011) Technology and Older People Evidence Review [Online] Age UK. Available from: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/documents/en-gb/for-professionals/computers-and-technology/evidence_review_technology.pdf?dtrk=true [Accessed 08/04/20]

· Campaign to end loneliness (Unknown) The facts on loneliness [Online] Available from: https://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/the-facts-on-loneliness/ [Accessed 08/04/20]

· Campbell, O (2015) Designing For The Elderly: Ways Older People Use Digital Technology Differently [Weblog] Smashing Magazine. 5th Feb. Available from: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/02/designing-digital-technology-for-the-elderly/ [Accessed 08/04/20]

· Khaleej Times (2020) Covid-19: 70% increase in Facebook Messenger group video calls. [Online] 23rd March. Available from: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/coronavirus-outbreak/covid-19-70-increase-in-facebook-messenger-group-video-calls [Accessed 08/04/20]

· Sky News (2020) Coranavirus: Is video calling the key to happiness during the COVID-19 lockdown? [Online] 30th March. Available from: https://news.sky.com/story/coranavirus-is-video-calling-the-key-to-happiness-during-the-covid-19-lockdown-11963594 [Accessed 08/04/20]

· TechSilver (2020) GrandPad: Tablet For Elderly [Online] TechSilver. Available from: https://www.techsilver.co.uk/product/grandpad-tablet-for-elderly/ [Accessed 08/04/20]