Older people, technology and community the potential of technology to help older people renew or develop social contacts and to actively engage in their communities Acknowledgements
A great many individuals have made group and undertook some of the research, invaluable contributions to this project, Caroline Moye organised publication and most particularly the members of the Lindsay Ellis designed this report. Many steering group who guided this project over thanks also to the small group of the course of the last eight months. Their independent consultants who supported knowledge, experience and patience with the project. Margaret Bolton provided the process have been greatly appreciated. excellent project management and analysis The project was framed by a seminar held and wrote the report. Great thanks are also last June at the RSA. The individuals who due to Bridget Pettitt who led the research, participated in that discussion helped us to and Marta Maretich for editorial work and lay firm foundations for the work going production of the summary. forward. Special thanks to Simon Walker Finally, without the kind support of the and Debbie Wosskow of Maidthorn Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK, this Partners for facilitating the event and for project would not have been possible. We advising on project design on a pro bono greatly appreciate the advice, guidance and basis. Many thanks are also due to the ongoing support of Andrew Barnett, dedicated staff team at Independent Age Annabel Knight and Luis Jeronimo. for their contribution: Claire Nurden provided the secretariat to the steering Preface
The project culminating in the publication Consortium aims to achieve greater of this report was seeded in a impact through better coordination and serendipitous conversation we had some greater collaboration. time ago about the part social networking The scale of activity also made us wonder plays in young people’s lives and what what role we could play. We needed to potential technology might have to enable constantly remind ourselves that our older people to engage actively in interest is not simply access to community life. technology but more specifically how At the time of this initial conversation technology can foster improved social relatively little attention was being paid to interaction, engaging older people in their the issue of older people and access to communities and promoting high quality and use of new technology. Since we face-to-face contact. Our work is focused started the project the wind has changed. on digital participation for a purpose and The Digital Britain report has been the purpose links closely to the belief that published, underlining the salience of the the scope to contribute, participate and issue, and significant funding has been engage is an essential ingredient of older made available for digital participation people’s wellbeing. initiatives; one priority for this spending is We are mindful that there are many facets older people. Our steering group, to wellbeing. The New Economics particularly Damian Radcliffe from Foundation (nef) have identified five ways OFCOM, has provided us with invaluable to safeguard wellbeing in everyday life: briefing on new initiatives concerning connect, be active, take notice, keep digital participation. The sheer number learning and give. We believe that access and scale made us wonder sometimes if to the internet and digital technologies we would ever get on top of the topic! It through relevant supported services can also underlined a clear problem – no one indeed enhance all these aspects of life for organisation seemed to have responsibility older people – so long as technology is to provide the glue on this important seen as the means to an end, not the end issue, to pull together evidence and in itself. learning from the many programmes in this field. The myriad initiatives made it The steering group wrestled with the issue hard even for those concentrating their of language, constantly reminding us of the professional time on this area to have a importance of positive framing of the issue. clear picture of the lie of the land, let Older people are not all vulnerable and in alone ensure that effective schemes were need of help: many, particularly the scaled up into real and sustainable younger old, are active and engaged in interventions. For this reason we welcome giving back to society – by volunteering or the setting up of the Digital Participation looking after younger relatives, for example. Consortium, a consortium of They are the same as you and I and, like organisations from across sectors society as a whole, they are heterogeneous. committed to achieving digital To overgeneralise is necessarily to do older participation. Led by OFCOM the people a disservice. Social isolation and 1 Preface
loneliness are real issues that everyone can Our purpose in working with the steering relate to and feel empathy with. Just as group has been to ensure the widest universally, social networks and social possible platform to take this pressing engagement are positive features of a issue forward. We are pleased that this healthy society. So we have battled with work will be picked up by a coalition, due language, favouring the terminology of to be established in the coming months. engagement and social contact over that Through awareness-raising, campaigning of exclusion and loneliness. and stimulating the creation of effective The potential scale of this project was vast services and appropriate tools, including and we have necessarily had to focus on a but not exclusively concerned with small number of issues. This means that, technology, this coalition will seek to reluctantly, we had to set aside some enable older people to renew or develop issues that we recognise to be crucially social contacts and actively engage in important, particularly the issues of age- their communities in order to feel, and be, appropriate design and the need for more better connected. commercial services to be directed to this underserved market. Janet Morrison All of the experts we involved in this Chief Executive, Independent Age project were clear on one thing: the real and urgent need is not for more kit. Rather, it’s for more appropriate services Andrew Barnett that reflect older people’s interests and Director, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, respond to their needs, including UK sustained, community-based training and support. The problem has a human face. It’s not solely about hard engineering, chips and wiring. Our recommendations reflect this.
2 Contents
1. Executive Summary 4
2. Introduction 8
3. The potential of technology 11 to support older people’s engagement in society
4. Older people’s access to and 16 use of technology
5. An appropriate response 20
6. Conclusions and 24 recommendations
Annex 1 Notable examples of 27 practice
Annex 2 Interviewees and 32 seminar participants
Annex 3 Steering group 33 members
3 1. Executive Summary
Social isolation and the feelings of Technology, older people and loneliness it leads to are common social inclusion problems for older people living in the United Kingdom today. Recent research This report was commissioned from documents a worrying trend that many Independent Age by the Calouste who work with older people have Gulbenkian Foundation, UK. To develop observed for themselves: the work, Independent Age set up a steering group comprised of telecoms • Fear of being alone is a major source of companies, voluntary organisations and anxiety as people grow old. academic institutions all with expertise to • Some older people go for days without bring to the issue of how digital seeing another person; many die alone. communications technology can enable older people to develop and maintain • 16% of older people in deprived inner social networks and actively engage in city areas suffer severe loneliness. their communities. • Certain ethnic groups are particularly In the last decade, an array of vulnerable. technologies has changed the way many • Isolation and loneliness can damage of us interact. Internet communication both mental and physical health in systems such as email and social older people. networking sites like Facebook and Twitter The immediate causes of social isolation have revolutionised personal are varied and depend on individual communication for younger people. circumstances. A scattered family, the Government service provision is being death of a partner, a chronic health transformed by technology, too, and many condition, diminishing sight or hearing are people are enjoying faster, easier access only some of the factors that can leave to public services through digital means. older people feeling alone. Whatever the Not the over-65s, though: studies show causes, social isolation and loneliness take that they have been largely excluded from their toll on the quality of life of a this revolution and the benefits it brings. significant proportion of our population. A startling 70% report that they have The core questions that motivated this never used the internet. research are: How can technology help At the time research for this report prevent and alleviate isolation and commenced, little attention was being loneliness amongst older people? What is paid to the issue of older people and its potential for enabling them to develop access to technology. Today, things are and retain social connections and actively different. The Digital Britain report in participate in their communities, both key 2008 highlighted the issue and spurred components of happiness and wellbeing? the Government to devote significant funding to digital participation initiatives, many with an emphasis on older people. Yet among a panoply of new initiatives, there has been little attempt to connect 4 the use of technology by older people • Low awareness of what technology can with potential social benefits such as offer: 10% of people aged 60-69 have reduced isolation and increased social access to the internet but don’t use it. participation – until now. This report They feel that digital technology has no demonstrates that technology is not relevance for them and that they would merely an end in itself, but can be a gain nothing by using it. means to enable older people to renew • Inadequate marketing: Technology and develop social contacts and engage marketing is generally aimed at the actively in their communities. It can young, promoting gimmicky aspects of provide opportunities to: products that don’t interest older • participate in meaningful work and people. Or, marketing is aimed at the other activities (whether paid or on a frail elderly, a group with which most volunteer basis); older people don’t identify. • interact in new ways with family and • Inappropriate design: Digital equipment friends; is designed to attract young buyers who • learn, develop skills and gather have grown up using technology. Small experience; buttons, fiddly controls and unnecessarily complicated interfaces • share learning, skills and experience can all be barriers to older, or less with others. adept, users. The appearance of ‘special’ equipment is also a deterrent Addressing barriers to technology for some older people who don’t want adoption ugly objects cluttering up their homes. To develop a sense of how this might be • Anxieties: Older people tend to have achieved, we began by looking at older certain fears regarding technology. One people’s attitudes toward technology. We of them is cost: they assume, for know that a large proportion of older example, that computers cost more people do not use communications than they actually do. Another is technology, the question is, why not? Some breaking equipment or doing something of the important barriers to older people wrong. A third is security: although adopting digital technologies include: most older people don’t know enough • Lack of home access to the internet: about technology to be familiar with Only half of people aged 60-69 have common security problems, many know access to the internet at home, but this enough to be concerned. falls to 17% among the over-70s. Adults over the age of 60 are also less likely than younger adults to get internet access in the next year. The dominant reason for not having or seeking access is that older people don’t feel they need it. 5 1. Executive Summary
What works Good practice These barriers prevent many older people As an initial step, we sought to identify from using communications technology existing projects within our sphere of for social interaction. Many older people interest. We found that provision was believe they don’t understand technology, patchy and that projects were often short- aren’t equipped to deal with it, and don’t lived. In general, projects focused on really need to: technology is for the getting older people online as opposed to young, not for them. Yet in spite of the providing them with the ongoing support barriers, our research makes it clear that they need to stay online. There were very older people are fully capable of learning few examples of projects with a specific to use technology and that they are focus on using technology to address interested in doing so provided they are social isolation. However, we identified made aware of its benefits and receive four examples of sustained good practice adequate training and support. But what – Digital Unite, CareOnLine, INtouch does this mean in practice? kirklees and Angus Gold (the latter three Benefits: If we want to enable older are all public sector projects although people technologically, we need to help Angus Gold started life in the voluntary them appreciate what technology can do sector). These projects have each begun for them. This means tuning in to their to apply technology creatively to enable interests, attitudes and expectations and older people to make connections, build designing programmes around their social networks and actively engage in needs. The belief that technology is a their communities. They have some other good thing per se doesn’t necessarily exist key features in common that further amongst older people. They need to have address the issues identified in the its value demonstrated in concrete terms, previous section: with direct application to their lives – for • Good design, including appropriate example, enabling them to connect to interfaces for the target group; family members living on the other side of • Training focused on how older people the globe using Skype. want to use technology; Training and support: Training and ongoing • Ongoing support from a trusted source; support help older people overcome some of their anxieties, build skills and develop • Low costs for participants. their confidence in using technology. The view of most experts is that we have all the kit that is needed. What we lack is the human element: the people and programmes to deliver the necessary training and support.
6 Recommendations for the The public sector could do more, too. voluntary and public sectors Local authorities and primary care trusts are already making significant investment Our research concludes that in technology. But so far few have made communications technologies can help the connection between access to prevent and alleviate social isolation and technology and the broader issue of loneliness among older people. To realise helping older people stay healthy, happy, the potential inherent in these independent and engaged in society. To technologies, we need to develop and encourage the public sector to make the support intermediaries who can empower most of the potential for alleviating social older people by educating them about isolation offered by technology, we communications technology and the propose to: benefits it can bring. With the right support, older people will have the ability • work with bodies like IDeA, the to become part of the solution, for Association of Directors of Social example, by participating in peer-to-peer Services and the Local Government support schemes. Association to raise awareness of the issue and to promote the good practice In our view more voluntary organisations that some public sector organisations could act as intermediaries, encouraging have already developed (see the good and supporting older people in their use practice examples above); of communications technology. We therefore propose to: • commission the development of a ‘plug- in’ (a piece of software that adds • launch a voluntary sector pledge functionality) for Looking Local, the which commits charities and other public sector local digital information voluntary organisations to run events service. This plug-in would enable local on Silver Surfers’ Day and throughout public sector organisations to offer older the year, reaching out to older staff and people online opportunities for social service users, helping them to get and networking around common interests, stay online; volunteering and community service. • develop a scheme called Learn to Help which will provide older people with one-to-one support in learning about technology and enable older people to provide peer support and network.
7 2. Introduction
What we often discuss in terms of new fulfilling; and that older people are full technology isn’t really new technology participants in society. 1 There is also anymore. For example the telephone is about concern to promote social inclusion, while 100 years old, TV about 80 and the a lack of social contact and engagement is computer 30, and we’ve been doing video acknowledged to be one dimension of conferencing for 30 years. exclusion. Government also recognises Kevin Carey, Humanity that social exclusion, isolation and loneliness contribute to the incidence of This report examines the hypothesis that mental illness, particularly depression. 2 technology can enable older people to However, despite this, very little work is renew or develop social contacts and undertaken which is preventive and which actively engage in their communities. It can addresses the need for social contact and help prevent older people from becoming social engagement amongst older people. socially isolated and lonely because of life changes including retirement, bereavement, The majority of public sector investment a deterioration in health. And it can help in technology to support older people those who are socially isolated escape their takes the form of investment in telecare. 3 situation. This hypothesis seems a According to the Department of Health, reasonable one. We live in an age in which telecare includes ‘equipment provided to technology offers quick and relatively cheap support the individual in their home and contact with colleagues, friends and tailored to meet their needs’ and may relatives across the globe. A proportion of include anything from a ‘basic community us are highly networked, using technology alarm service’ to ‘detectors and monitors to supplement and maintain periodic direct such as motion or falls or fire and gas that contact with a large number of individuals trigger a warning to a response centre.’ with whom we have something in common, Experts suggest that while telecare such as work, hobbies or common equipment (some of which enables internet experiences. This report concludes that access) and support services (telephone technology does offer solutions to older response centres) could potentially provide people. It explores the barriers to their use mechanisms to help older people renew or of technology and makes recommendations develop social contacts and to actively about how best to develop work on this engage in their communities, this potential theme in the future. is rarely exploited. 4 A review of government policy documents There are about 12.5 million people in the concerned with ageing and older people UK who do not currently have access to suggests considerable interest in the internet. 5 The government is seeking to promoting older people’s participation in improve access by investing in a range of society. These documents also contain digital participation initiatives with the passing references to reducing the social intention of reducing this 12.5 million by isolation of older people in the 60% by 2014. 6, 7 These initiatives include community. An objective is to end the the Race Online 2012 campaign that is perception of older people as dependent; asking organisations of all types and sizes ensure that longer life is healthy and to help inspire and educate their 8 employees, customers and communities to We conclude in this report that there are use the internet. A priority for government relatively few projects that use technology investment is improving the access of older to help older people renew or develop people and people with disabilities. social contacts and actively engage in their However, our question about such communities (voluntary sector projects initiatives is: digital participation to what providing telephone befriending aside). 8 end? More specifically: has sufficient Those projects that do exist are generally thought been given to how digital small-scale and many tend to be short-lived. participation can address what is starting Nevertheless, some organisations have to be recognised as one of the biggest been delivering sustained work that threats to older people’s health and directly contributes to our agenda under wellbeing, a lack of meaningful social the heading of digital participation. contact and social engagement? Notable examples include Digital Unite A major concern about the majority of work and UK online centres. Both have as their on the theme of digital participation is that mission getting older and disadvantaged it is not sufficiently focused on addressing people online and have been working to social issues. Access to technology is not an this end for a number of years. A newer end in itself; there should be more focus on organisation also worthy of note is Digital what it can enable individuals and groups to Outreach which helps local voluntary do for themselves and others. As one organisations to support older, disabled member of our steering group said: and other potentially vulnerable people to The problem with talking about technology is adopt digital technologies. that it focuses minds on kit, rather than Other important examples include purpose, outcomes, services and applications CareOnLine, INtouch kirklees and Angus such as the way smart and inventive use of Gold, digital participation projects run by communications, information or knowledge can public sector agencies, all with a particular make new, really important things possible. focus on addressing social isolation. Kevin Johnson, Cisco These projects are notable because they place a particular emphasis not only on We are interested in considering getting older people online but on technology as a means to enable older supporting their ongoing engagement people to: with technology – a theme that needs to • participate in meaningful work and other be given much more attention. (More activities (paid and unpaid, enabling information about these organisations or society to benefit from their energy and projects can be found in Annex 1.) experience); This report has been developed by • interact in new ways with family and Independent Age with funding from the friends; Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK. It • learn and develop skills and experience has been informed by a literature review and share that learning and experience and telephone interviews with 15 experts with others. identified in a stakeholder mapping 9 2. Introduction
exercise and a seminar at which an interim their skills, as well as those who lose their paper was discussed (see Annex 2 for a skills or confidence when no longer working. list of interviewees and seminar There will also be older people who begin to participants). The recommendations find it difficult to use technology as they age contained in this report have been because of poor vision, poor dexterity, poor developed by a steering group comprising hearing, and/or cognitive problems individuals with associated with ageing and who require relevant expertise from across the public, assistance to stay connected. We also have private and voluntary sectors (see Annex the current problem to address: the older 3 for membership). Independent Age and old (those over 80) are most likely to need the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK the social support technology could are now establishing a new consortium of facilitate since they are more likely to have organisations that is seeking to help older outlived spouses and friends. people develop social networks and The remainder of this report contains the actively engage in their communities. The four following sections: intention is that this coalition will refine, develop and follow through by Section 2: The potential of technology to implementing the recommendations support older people’s engagement contained in this report. in society. This section covers the evidence about social isolation and An issue the steering group has debated is loneliness among older people and the definitional issue of what we mean by explores whether technology might offer older people. In this instance we have part of the solution to addressing it. decided to focus on the over-65s although some of the statistics and the projects that Section 3: Older people’s access to and we mention also cover the younger old, use of technology. This section namely the over-50s. We are also keenly summarises the evidence about older aware that older people are not a people’s access to and use of technology homogenous group. There is a great and identifies the barriers to greater usage . difference between a 65-year-old, who is Section 4: An appropriate response. This still in work and actively engaged in section considers what sort of provision is learning about technological developments needed to encourage and support older and a person over 80, who never used a people in their use of technology and computer during their working life and may highlights notable projects from which we regard themselves as too old to start now. can derive useful lessons for future work Some challenge the importance of older in this field. people’s access to and use of technology Section 5: Conclusions and because, they suggest, as younger recommendations. This section generations, more familiar with technology summarises our conclusions and contain a retire, the problem will disappear. However, small number of practical there will continue to be older people who recommendations about how work on the have had little access to technology through theme might best be developed. work, the place where many people learn 10 3. The potential of technology to support older people’s engagement in society
This section considers the evidence about that they are always or often lonely) social isolation and loneliness amongst affects about 7% of the older population, older people and explores whether showing little change over the past five technology might offer part of the decades. 13 Since stigma attaches to solution to addressing it. admitting loneliness, it seems likely that this is an underestimate of the extent of Defining the problem: social severe loneliness amongst older people. isolation and loneliness among For some older people loneliness may older people have been a continuous experience, reflecting lifelong patterns of behaviour, As the population ages and as more people others experience ‘old age onset’, which are living alone, social isolation amongst may be a response to losses that occur older people is emerging as one of the major later in life such as bereavement or issues facing the industrialised world because declining health. 14 of the adverse impact it can have on health and wellbeing. There are a multitude of reasons why people become increasingly isolated in Dr. Robyn Findlay, Australasian Centre on later life. Many older people have to make Ageing, University of Queenslan d9 the transition to living alone because they Social isolation, a lack of contact with are widowed and/or children scatter. friends and family and other looser Health factors also play a part: chronic networks of acquaintances, is a major issue illness and/or mobility problems may for significant numbers of older people. confine older people to their homes more The charity WRVS identified that 8% of than they would like (6% of older people the people it works with see no one each leave their home once a week or less); 15 day, while 72% see only two people a day while sensory impairments or mobility and 32 older people a day die alone at problems may make older people self- home. 10 Fear of being alone is a major conscious and less inclined to socialise. source of anxiety as people grow old. 11 Another factor is that, as people get older, Social isolation is objectively defined as a the deaths of those close to them may lack of social contact; loneliness can be mean that they lack the sort of confiding the result. Loneliness is subjective; the relationships they had with people in the individual feels the lack of social contact. past. For some the lack of material Research suggests that the influential resources and poor environment (for factor is not the number of relationships example living in an area with inadequate but their quality. 12 The result is that amenities and services and fearing going housebound older people with a carer out) may also have an impact. visiting three times a day for 15 minutes Older people are heterogeneous and may continue to feel lonely because they some groups are likely to be more at risk miss the contact that they had in the past of loneliness than others, for example, with friends and family. Research shows those over 80 who live alone, particularly that ‘severe loneliness’ (people saying men. 16 Older people living in urban areas
11 3. The potential of technology to support older people’s engagement in society
are also at greater risk than those living in those caring for people with dementia. 21 the country; stronger support networks Social isolation, resulting in loneliness, tend to mean lower levels of reported among older people is therefore a loneliness in rural areas. Some 16% of major issue. Yet it has so far received older people in deprived inner cities relatively little attention and the potential of experience severe loneliness, with certain technology to help in addressing it has been ethnic groups, such as Pakistanis and both underexplored and underexploited. 17 Somalis being particularly affected. Technology: a part of the Reports by Age Concern and Help the solution? Aged have defined social exclusion as ‘feeling detached from society, trapped at Some current technology trends are both home, cut off from services, lonely and relevant and exciting, for example the isolated, and struggling to cope.’ 18 There interoperability between different systems, and is a clear relationship between social the high-speed, always-on connectivity that’s exclusion and loneliness. For example, in enabling increasingly easy, effective and their analysis of severely excluded older efficient ways to communicate and people, Age Concern identified that 43% collaborate. The explosion that’s happening in of the severely excluded aged 50-64 video-based approaches – helping people to group, 42% of the 65-79 age group, and interact visually – is one example. 37% of the 80-plus group felt lonely, Kevin Johnson, Cisco compared to about 9% of the non- Some are sceptical about whether 19 excluded groups. technology can reduce social isolation or There is also a clear link between social whether it actually reinforces it. There is exclusion and digital exclusion. The Oxford concern, for example, that public sector Internet Institute found that those most efforts to deploy technology in social care deprived socially are also most likely to lack will result in older people feeling more access to digital resources such as the isolated as face-to-face contact is internet. Three out of four of those ‘broadly’ replaced by remote monitoring systems. socially excluded lack a meaningful For example, a small-scale evaluation by engagement with the internet. In addition to one local authority provider of telecare this, those deeply socially excluded, with no showed that a very small proportion of meaningful internet engagement, account older users, less than 4%, reported being for 10% of the total UK population. 20 more lonely after receiving telecare. Tunstall Healthcare Group, a private There is increasing recognition that social sector leader in the provision of telecare, isolation and the loneliness it causes can speculates that this may be in part adversely affect older peoples long-term because some friends and relatives, health, mental and physical. Depression reassured by the installation of the particularly is a problem. It affects one-fifth system, became less engaged. 22 of older people, two-fifths of those living in care homes, and is a significant problem Others question whether technology is amongst older caregivers, particularly eroding community links and reducing 12 social capital. 23, 24 Some research studies moments with others, help people feel challenge this view, concluding that use of involved, and feel good; email chatrooms and noticeboards in - broadcast video: sharing events via digital particular communities results in stronger media platforms, to interest, amuse or 25 ties between community members offline. create a buzz. Our view is that technology, if deployed in Meanwhile, work on an internet over TV the right way, as a supplement to and an protocol 27 and the availability of pre- enabler of direct contact, can help older programmed remotes will make it easier people to maintain and develop social to use the internet over TV, potentially support networks. Some aspects of making it possible for more older people technology have obvious benefits. Email to have access the web using familiar and voice over internet calls can enable technology that is already in their front quick and cheap contact with friends and room. The Digital Switchover Programme, relatives across the globe. At a recent and the support it gives to older International Federation on Ageing people 28 , provides the opportunity to conference in Melbourne on the topic of promote use of the internet over TV and social inclusion and technology, video was to provide access to many older people also highlighted as a means to help without computers. improve people’s quality of life, for example the value of Skype for friends and Technology is becoming a bigger part of families who would otherwise not see or everyone’s life, making it easier for people be able to feel close to each other. 26 of all kinds to: These and other technological - maintain contact with family, friends and developments meanwhile will continue to a wider group of individuals with whom enhance both access and experience. One they have something in common, such as of our steering group members, Kevin work, hobbies or common experiences; Johnson of Cisco considers that: - gain access to information about Video is perhaps the most disruptive and activities and services that meet their liberating area of technological development interests and needs; right now. It is also one of the most relevant - learn; for social inclusion, because it’s about - engage in paid work and volunteering; enabling human contact, interaction, participation and engagement (i.e. the very - participate in debates and have their say things that make people feel good). Some on issues; examples of the way it could be used include: - find the best prices for products and - live interaction: easy-to-use, ultra high services. definition links between individuals or Without the technology that benefits an groups in community facilities, home, and increasing majority of the population, public spaces; older people do not have access to the - recorded video: new, easy ways to share same information and opportunities as
13 3. The potential of technology to support older people’s engagement in society
their younger peers. They may as a result support to the over-50s in using begin to feel over time that they have less technology (see Annex 1 for more in common with younger people and information), also emphasised the social other members of the community. Quite benefits. Participants said the training simply, they lack the same opportunities helped them maintain social ties, especially for engagement. with dispersed family. They were able to There are relatively few projects which use discover common ground with younger technology to address social isolation family members and re-establish links with among older people. However, the small lost contacts. The result was increased number that we came across in this research social contact and a more developed reported very positive user experiences. A network. It had also helped some to 31 user of INtouch kirklees, a local authority participate in community events. digital information service that also acts as a An explicit objective of Angus Gold was to host to online interest groups (see Annex 1 support community engagement. Some of for more information) said: the participants became volunteers, When you live by yourself (and I don’t get out actively supporting others to adopt all that much actually), it’s contact. You feel technology. This illustrates an important that you’re with people. Well, it opened up a factor, older people can give as well as whole new world for me, doing things that I receive social support. This element of never would have done in a million years… It’s reciprocity is crucially important. In not just a resource centre, it’s a sort of a club, common with the rest of the population, and it gives people a voice – it can empower older people want to feel that they are people as well. 29 giving something back to society and that the positive contribution that they make In an evaluation report for the is valued. Leicestershire CareOnLine initiative, which provides computer and assistive Recent research has identified some of the technology training and support in older life changes that encourage older people people’s homes (see Annex 1 for more to take up the internet. Triggers include: information), participants reported that taking up a specific hobby, entering they had benefited in a number of ways. retirement, having relatives move abroad, They felt the training had enabled greater becoming housebound or losing a 32 social interaction. Participants said they partner. Four of these life changes could had made new friends through the service also mark reduced social contact and and reported that it had made them feel potentially loneliness and depression. More like they had things in common with evidence that for older people, technology younger people and others in the can be a means of preventing or alleviating community. It had also improved their social isolation and loneliness. confidence and the ability to access other Emerging findings from an ongoing services through the internet. 30 research project at Loughborough Another evaluation, this time of the Angus University based on focus groups and Gold project which offered training and individual interviews with older people 14 reveal that they are motivated to use They also reported feeling more mentally technology by a number of factors. These alert, challenged, useful and ‘younger’. 33 include the desire to remain active and Technology then has potential to help independent and to communicate with older people renew or develop social family and friends, especially remote ones, contacts and actively engage in their using email. They were also motivated to communities but our research and use technology in order to ensure ‘the consultation indicates that we need to world does not pass them by’, to seek increase older people’s access and use information, particularly news and health of technology before we can realise this information, and to support their learning potential. The next section explores and education generally. Those who this issue. participated in the research reported that having the ability to get online gave them the sense of having more social support.
When you live by yourself (and I don’t get out all that much “actually), it’s contact. You feel that you’re with people. Well, it opened up a whole new world for me, doing things that I never would have done in a million years… It’s not just a resource centre, it’s a sort of a club, and it gives people a voice – it can empower people as well.
” 15 4. Older people’s access to and use of technology
This section considers the evidence about The figures for older people’s use of the older people’s access to and use of internet remain surprisingly low, yet this technology and barriers to greater usage. isn’t because they are incapable of using Technology isn’t the thing we want older it. The research suggests that older people to access (or anyone else for that people do have the capacity to use 38 matter) – it is the services and capabilities technology and are willing to learn. This and experiences that technology can enable. willingness, coupled with enthusiasm for Ubiquitous network connectivity, and easy acquiring new knowledge, appears to be access is the key to the door. one key determinant of success for older adopters of new technology, just as it is Kevin Johnson, Cisco across all age groups. And, like people of To take this further: in this instance it isn’t other ages, with the right support older network connectivity or access alone that people can master technology and gain provide the key. Services and applications significant benefit from it. designed to help older people renew or Research by Age Concern and Help the develop social contacts and to actively Aged 39 indicates that one in six adults aged engage in their communities are also 55-plus use social networking services like needed to unlock the potential of Facebook, Skype, Twitter or YouTube, technology to improve lives. although OFCOM indicate that only 8% of Some of the figures on older people’s use, those aged 55 and older have a social or rather non-use, of technology are network profile (compared to 25% of all startling. 70% of over-65s report that adults). 40 Also, older people are the fastest they have never used the internet. 34 This growing group of internet users (although is notable given the evidence that digital a smaller percentage of older people are exclusion is linked to and can exacerbate online – as already noted) 41 and people other forms of disadvantage. 35 Further, aged over 65 who have internet access the groups least likely to use technology spend more hours online than the average are those older old people, 80-plus, who for all ages (perhaps because older people have low or no educational qualifications, have more time). 42 Just over two-thirds who would most benefit from the cost (68%) of internet users aged 65 and over comparison, special offers and delivery use it for communication on a weekly basis, options that it offers. Another factor of only slightly less than all UK adult internet note is that access to technology falls off users (72%). Nearly one-third use the dramatically if you compare the age group internet for transactions (for example 65-75 with the over-80s so for example, banking, or shopping) on a weekly basis. 33% of people who are aged 65-75 have Over one-quarter use it to look at news, broadband, but the figure declines to 13% although overall breadth of use is narrower for the over-75s. Similarly, 81% of 65-74 than that for all UK adults. 43 year olds own a mobile phone but for the 75-plus age group, this figure decreases to 50%. 37
16 The barriers to older people reaction by some older people, unaware using technology of its potential benefits, is that technology is not for them, that they There are a number of significant barriers would derive no benefit from it. OFCOM to older people’s use of technology: characterises people with such an attitude A lack of home access to the internet as ‘resistors’. OFCOM makes the point Home access to the internet varies that attitudes towards technology and considerably by age amongst those aged digital services, rather than age, are what 60-plus. Half of those aged 60-69 have determines engagement with digital access to the internet at home but this communications. Yet it also indicates that falls to one in six (17%) of those aged 70 older people are among those most likely and older. 44 The younger old are also to fall into the category of ‘resistors’. more likely to have digital radio and digital Resistors are detached from digital services, TV than the over-70s. In 2009, older believing them to be of little relevance to their people were still lagging behind younger lives and actively resisting technology adults in having access to digital TV. adoption. However, this initial rejection Nearly a fifth of 65-74 year olds only frequently masks a sense of being daunted by have analogue TV, and 30% of people technology and a desire for digital products aged 75-plus still have analogue, and services that are easier and simpler. compared to less than 10% of adults of These people also need to be clearly shown 45 all ages. how digital services could benefit them. 49 Meanwhile, adults aged over 60 are OFCOM research examining the effect on considerably less likely to get access to attitudes of showing a five-minute video the internet in the next year, and more to older people demonstrating what the likely to give a voluntary reason for not internet would enable them to do is getting it than younger adults; in other striking testimony to this. After seeing this words, older people don’t get access to video there was a significant drop in the the internet because they think they don’t number of older people saying that they need it. This same group is less likely than thought they would gain nothing from others to use all new media. Predictably, having access to the internet. However, the medium it is most interested in is despite this most people still said no 46 television. when asked whether they would take up Home access to the internet is higher the internet if it was given to them for among those in the higher socio- free. 50 This research seems to reinforce economic groups. This is also the case, the view that many older people are not but less dramatically so, for digital radio online because they do not see the and television. 47 relevance to them. Overcoming this barrier will, for many, be the first step in Low awareness of what technology getting them online. can offer 10% of those aged 60-69 have access to the internet but don’t use it. 48 A knee-jerk 17 4. Older people’s access to and use of technology
Marketing does not reflect older people’s The private sector is much more interests concerned about having a market among Generally, technology is not marketed to the younger age groups: older people in a way that reflects their The so-called business case only works in a needs and interests: utopian environment of unlimited capital. Once someone has seen a photo of a When you compete for capital in the real world grandchild or bought something online or the teens win out against the oldies. If there checked their bank account then they've got really was a business case it would be pursued. it and you’ve successfully engaged them with Kevin Carey, Humanity digital media and, unbeknown to them, the relevance of digital literacy. This lack of interest on the part of designers can mean that products aren’t Emma Solomon, Digital Unite as user-friendly for older people as they The most common examples given by older might be. For example, small buttons, people of why they get on to the internet are fiddly controls and unnecessarily to send and receive photos and keep in touch complicated interfaces are daunting to with family and friends. We must talk about people who may not have grown up with technology in terms of what it can help them technology and whose manual dexterity is do, and how they can benefit from it rather not as good as it once was. The experts than in technical or theoretical terms. we interviewed were clear that the Making it easier to shop, bank, get the latest appropriate response to this problem was knitting patterns, is much more appealing not to create specially designed products than talking about the Windows platform, for older people (this is regarded as hardware, and broadband speeds. stigmatising) but rather encourage more Steve Tyler, RNIB inclusive design for all. The issues older users highlight, it was acknowledged, affect The marketing of technology is often all of us to one degree or another. aimed at young people, emphasising the new ‘gimmicky’ aspects of the product, Design is also important in another way. which most people, regardless of age, will Older people don’t want ugly equipment, never use fully. Or it is aimed at the ‘frail which would not look out of place in a elderly’, a group with which most older hospital, in their home. In common with people do not identify. everyone else, they want objects they are happy to live with because they are Inappropriate design aesthetically pleasing: Many of the experts that we interviewed also considered that design was an There... appears to be a view that it is not important issue: necessary to design beautiful objects to support older and disabled people, and Most technology gives the impression of being manufacturers do not seem to correlate poor designed by and for 24-year-old males. Little (private) sales and/or utilisation of their technology is sensitive to the needs and equipment with this view. wants of older people. Alan Newell, Dundee University 51 Alan Newell, Dundee University 18 It is to be hoped that greater interest in Qualitative research conducted with inclusive design processes and greater people aged 55-64 and those aged 65- engagement from manufacturers and plus found that the main barriers to digital designers as the population ages will make inclusion were a lack of understanding and design which is appropriate across age confidence, combined with fears about ranges more of a commercial imperative. doing something wrong and security. 53 Other issues Security: Research undertaken in 2005 by Loughborough University identified a Cost: Cost is often cited as a significant number of barriers to older people’s use barrier in the minds of older people. of the internet, some of which have Older people tend to assume that the already been mentioned here. Additionally costs of technology are higher than they the research identified concerns about actually are (for example, assuming that security and privacy as barriers for older computers cost £1,000, when they are people using the internet. 54 These worries now available for much less). 52 As have been echoed in more recent technology has become ubiquitous, prices Loughborough research with focus groups have come down. Other costs of course and individuals where once again security come into play, and older people may also and privacy were notable issues for be concerned about the costs of ongoing participants. For a complete list of barriers support, of replacing hardware and identified by the research, see the notes. 55 updating software and maintaining a broadband connection. Breakage: Another issue, raised by our steering group, is the fear of breaking equipment: Some older people may have worked in factories where an error could break a machine and cost lives (and their jobs). Kevin Doughty, Centre for Usable Technology York University
19 5. An appropriate response
This section lays out the sort of provision getting and maintaining equipment and a that is needed to encourage and support broadband connection. The implication is older people to use technology to actively that we need to help older people better engage in their communities. It highlights appreciate both the costs of technology some notable projects on whose success we and what it can offer them, while giving might build. them the right support and training to enable them to use it well, developing What sort of provision needs to their confidence and skills. be put in place The provision of training and ongoing The view of some of the experts whose support is key because it helps older views we canvassed is that we don’t need people overcome some of their anxieties new technology. Instead, we need about technology, their preconceptions continued improvement in technology’s about how difficult it is to use and about speed, functionality and interoperability, the cost of support when accessed on the further reduction in costs and easier ways open market. Training and support is also to interact with it. Most of all we need to vital to ensure that older people can apply the technology we have intelligently, continue to use technology as it develops developing service options that: or as they experience sight or other problems which necessitate changes - encourage and support older people’s either in the technology they use or how use of technology by taking into they use it. However, training and ongoing account such issues as training, ongoing support is perceived to be one of the support, cost and design (including biggest gaps in provision: appropriate interfaces); One of the biggest problems is education, - apply technology creatively to enable making sure there are ways for people to older people to make connections, build access technology which make it attractive. networks and actively engage in their Lots of money is often put into capital communities. purchases like hardware or infrastructure but Consumer Panel Research suggests that ongoing training and support... is what older people are interested in using people want and need. technology if they are aware of its Steve Tyler, RNIB benefits and if they receive the right training and support. 56 Similarly, emerging Research canvassing older people’s views findings from ongoing research by about what would help them access and Loughborough suggests that older use computers and the internet supports potential users need, amongst other this analysis. Interviewees said that things, to understand the relevance of ICT awareness raising, training, subsidies and to daily living and they need ongoing ongoing help would support them to assistance, advice and reassurance. 57 This adopt technology. With regard to training, research also suggests that older people those questioned preferred small classes require information about the costs of or one-to-one tuition that would allow them to learn at their own pace, not feel 20 embarrassed by asking questions and We therefore need to develop service learn alongside people like themselves. 58 options focused on facilitating older One emerging finding from ongoing people’s opportunities to connect and research by Loughborough University actively engage. indicates that older people have a In summary then, we need service preference for training in informal settings responses that enable older people to get 59 where they work with their peers. Our online and which support them to stay steering group also emphasised the need online. At the same time, services should to provide training for people in their own use technology creatively to provide homes either because they may be unable opportunities for older people to connect or unwilling to visit community facilities or with others and develop mutually other venues where training is provided. supportive networks. The good practice Access to technology and the contact that examples below are starting to it enables is likely to help reduce social demonstrate how technology might be isolation but so too will the training, used in this way. education and support which facilitates access, particularly if based around group Building on good practice activities. A systematic review of a range of One of the experts involved in this project interventions used to alleviate and prevent summed up existing provision in the social isolation and loneliness among older following way: people identified that the most effective approaches were group activities with an Being diffuse, projects are small-scale and educational or support input. 60 tend not to last. Leela Damodaran, Loughborough Given that one of our concerns is to University prevent and address social isolation and loneliness our emphasis is on making and Other experts suggested that there is a maintaining connections through dearth of provision based on the key technology. One of the members of our elements we have identified as important steering group stressed the need for: (design including appropriate interfaces; training focused on how older people ...more volunteers to become involved, families want to use technology; ongoing support to take responsibility. It's about actually from a trusted source and affordability). spending time with people and talking to However, in our research we came across a them, people making themselves available small clutch of projects that have been through technology... We need to get people to sustained over a number of years and accept that being a virtual or remote friend is which demonstrate all, or the majority of, something that is needed. Then we can put these elements. together the technology package that best utilises that resource. Three of the four projects described Kevin Doughty, Centre for Usable below are public sector projects, although Technology, York University one started life in the voluntary sector. One is a private sector initiative albeit one 21 5. An appropriate response
that delivers significant social benefit. In participate in interest groups run by a our research we also came across notable volunteer. It has an attractive interface voluntary sector schemes which ran which is designed to be easy to navigate. successfully for a couple of years but were The service is accessible over digital TV, not sustained once their initial project mobile phones and the Wii. funding ceased. The four sustained Kirklees has found that take up of digital practice examples that struck us as TV in disadvantaged areas is very high. It noteworthy are: believes that the Digital Switchover Digital Unite helps organisations such as Programme will significantly extend access sheltered housing landlords get their to the service particularly amongst the residents online and trains specialist over-75s who will benefit from the Help tutors which visit learners at home. An Scheme. important initiative developed by Digital Although InTouch kirklees is Unite is Silver Surfers’ Day . This provides predominantly a local information service, resources to support local organisations Kirklees considers that it has been most in the public, private and voluntary valuable for those who are in some way sectors offering free IT taster sessions to isolated, who previously felt 'left out' and older people in their communities on one 'left behind'. national day across the UK. Digital Unite has sought to overcome design and INtouch spawned the Looking Local technical issues by developing appropriate initiative, a not-for-profit company set up resources and it has supported older by Kirklees to provide similar digital people’s continued use of technology by information platforms to other public developing ‘digital learning communities’ sector agencies on a subscription basis. which are self-sustaining. Other public sector authorities have therefore used the service to offer interest CareOnLine , an initiative of Leicestershire groups and therefore networking County Council, provides information opportunities of various kinds to about local services and offers a chatroom community members. facility. It provides computer and assistive technology, training and support in older Looking Local develops plug-ins or people’s homes. It developed its own web particular additional elements that local interface based on feedback from its authorities and other public sector users. It is notable because it offers a agencies can add to the basic digital comprehensive service, providing access package. It is currently developing a plug- to the equipment, training and ongoing in with Timebank that provides access to support that older and other vulnerable information about timebanking people need. Also, it has a dedicated team opportunities on its platform. This that provides support. adaptable platform therefore has the potential to support applications which INtouch kirklees is a local digital are specifically aimed at older people and information service which also enables which support social networking and local people to provide content and community engagement. 22 Kirklees is also a partner in the VIRTEx locations. A mobile training facility was project. This is a partnership between also used. The project was regarded by Tunstall Healthcare Group, Fold participants as an opportunity to Housing Association, Housing 21, establish or widen their social networks. Looking Local and the University of A key objective was to involve Sheffield. 61 VIRTEx is using digital TV to participants in the community. This was set up a virtual community of service achieved through forums, which users and carers. It is also piloting two- engaged in discussion and action way video conferencing. It characterises relating to the interests and concerns the project as social networking using of the participants. The project, started digital TV. in 2004, was due to finish in March Angus Gold sought to provide 2006 but was extended for a further information and increase awareness, year to allow for completion. The usage and uptake of IT/internet access approach is now embedded in the by the over-50s. It developed a website Community Learning and Development involving the participants and focused Service in Angus. on the access and usability needs of See Annex 1 for more information inexperienced and frail users. Free about these organisations and projects. training was delivered to small groups, tailored to each learner, in community
One of the biggest problems is education, making sure there are ways “for people to access technology which make it attractive. Lots of money is often put into capital purchases like hardware or infrastructure but ongoing training and support is what people want and need. Steve Tyler, RNIB ” 23 6. Conclusions and recommendations
...I don't think that for the very elderly age In developing recommendations we have group, who are likely to be the most lonely, sought to: that a technological revolution is feasible. • build on what we know about the needs Using existing technology in a new way is and aspirations of older people; likely to be the way forward. Alan Walker, University of Sheffield • build on existing work and complement or supplement it; This report summarises some of the evidence indicating that social isolation and • advocate approaches which are loneliness among older people is sustainable and capable of being a major problem and suggests that delivered across the country so more technology may be part of the solution, older people can benefit; helping older people to renew or develop • provide a framework for collective social contacts and to actively engage in action. their communities. We have concluded that: In considering our recommendations, we - solutions do not necessarily lie in the recognised the need to prioritise among a development of new kit but rather in number of important issues and so had to better use of the technology that leave aside two which we consider already exists (which is constantly particularly relevant: the issue of evolving); appropriate design and the need to - technology by itself is not the answer, it develop a market for services and cannot replace human contact, but it products suited to the needs and may be a means of better facilitating it; aspirations of older people. Rather than being directed at the private sector our - older people need training and support recommendations are directed at both the to start using and keep using voluntary and the public sectors. technology; Our recommendations fall under two - design and ease of use issues need to be headings: addressed; - Supporting older people to get online - the benefits of technology need to be and stay online. This is a key building marketed to older people in a way that block because it enables access to social reflects their needs and aspirations; networking facilities and other - we need to develop and support applications which support and promote intermediaries to empower, educate and community engagement; enable older people to be part of the - Increasing awareness in the public sector solution, for example, by volunteering in of the issue of social isolation and peer-to-peer support schemes; loneliness and encouraging public sector - we need to develop service options which organisations to make adaptations to support/create opportunities for older technology-based services that will help people to connect and participate. address the problem. We regard this as a means of achieving the sustained, 24 ongoing provision which will bring will help them to stay online through lasting social benefit to socially isolated membership of a support community older people. willing to share knowledge and provide Supporting older people to get online practical help. The Learn to Help scheme As indicated in the last section, a would build on the voluntary sector significant amount of work is already pledge, working through charities and being supported under the heading digital other voluntary organisations to recruit participation and one priority group for volunteer helpers (including but not this work is older people. restricted to older volunteer helpers) to support older people, one to one, in their One important initiative is Silver Surfers’ learning about and use of computers and Day organised by Digital Unite ; one the internet. The volunteer would be national day on which local organisations someone that the older person felt are supported in running internet taster comfortable contacting whenever they sessions for older people. Although the needed help. Assistance would be initiative is very valuable, it operates only provided over the phone, by email or one day each year and Digital Unite are face-to-face and in the older person’s considering how they can extend the home if appropriate. Volunteers would be programme so that activities are run networked through groups with a group throughout the year. We propose to support leader and would be provided with this initiative by developing and launching a resources and materials to support their voluntary sector pledge: Using Digital Unite’s work. Our intention is to develop the resources and support (as well as others’), initiative as a social enterprise that is both charities and other voluntary organisations sustainable and scalable. would pledge to run events on Silver Surfers’ Day and throughout the year with the Encouraging the public sector to respond intention of getting all the older people they Significant investment is made by local work with and their older staff and volunteers authorities and primary care trusts in online by demonstrating its benefits to them. services for older people but the general perception is that scant attention is given One of the themes of our research and to the issue of social isolation and the consultation work is the importance of serious impact it can have on older providing education and ongoing support people’s health. We propose to work with to older people in their use of computers bodies like IDeA, the Association of Directors and the internet. A number of technology of Social Services and the Local Government ‘buddying’ schemes for older people Association to raise awareness of this agenda already exist, including some that match among staff in the public sector and to older people with younger promote the good practice that some have trainers/supporters. 62 However we already developed in adapting existing consider that there is a need for more technology-based services to respond more provision and we propose to develop a directly to the problem. scheme called Learn to Help that will not only help older people to get online but 25 6. Conclusions and recommendations
Our research and consultation work We propose to commission development of a indicates that both telecare and local new plug-in for Looking Local, available to all authority digital information services offer public sector subscribers, focused on older significant potential to provide services people, local services, social networking and enabling older people to renew and opportunities for volunteering and community develop social contacts and become more engagement. We will also market this new actively engaged in their communities. component to promote its use. Adapting these services could cost These recommendations are designed to relatively little and bring potentially large help achieve better outcomes and improved savings for the public sector because older quality of life for older people. We consider people are supported and encouraged to that as the population ages and as the be as independent, as active and as number of older one-person households engaged as possible for longer. increases that isolation and loneliness will Attention is only starting to be paid to the become an ever more pressing issue. On potential that telecare has to address the basis of the work we have undertaken social as well as health and care needs. we consider that appropriate use of VIRTEx, described in Annex 1, offers a rare technology holds great potential to example of using existing telecare enhance older people’s wellbeing, providing technology, in this case digital TV, to opportunities to connect; be active; take develop a virtual community of service notice; keep learning and give. 63 We hope users and carers . It provides a potential that others will support us in our efforts to model that the public sector might realise this potential. consider when developing or commissioning telecare services. The local authority digital information service, Looking Local , described in the last section, already provides a platform for social networking, for example hosting book and bridge clubs.
26 Annex 1 Notable examples of practice
Digital Unite people take part and try out digital technology, often for the very first time. Digital Unite (DU) defines and manages Even more are reached by the national local and national campaigns to get older publicity campaign that explains why people online and to put digital inclusion digital inclusion matters and encourages on the political and media agenda. It more people to try IT. provides digital skills training that is focused on the over-50s, and designed In 2009, DU worked with UK online for new and nervous users. DU manages a centres and ran over a thousand events. UK-wide network of specialist tutors who They estimate that the associated deliver on-site digital skills tuition to older publicity reached more than eight million learners at home, at work, and in other people. The 2010 Silver Surfers’ Day will community and learning environments. be the largest event ever run and will include the active cooperation of DU services range from providing personal OFCOM, The BBC, Decca, MLA, Race assistance to older individuals, who want to online 2012, Age UK, NIACE, UK online achieve or extend their digital skills, right centres and the NHS - amongst others. through to running national campaigns that bring together the voluntary and DU is one of three partners behind private sectors and the wider community, BeGrand.net, a website launched in to help older people get and remain online. January 2010, that is designed to provide Learning and using of IT is an excellent information and an online community for catalyst for intergenerational dialogue grandparents. The site is funded by the where older people can learn from the DCSF as part of Family Information Direct, young and vice versa. Wherever possible a programme that focuses on finding DU harnesses this resource. innovative ways to support families. The DU Learning Zone is an area on the Following the government's commitment in Digital Unite website providing a rich Building a Society for All Ages to promote and resource of Learning Guides to help people support digital inclusion for older residents improve their digital skills from their home. in sheltered housing, Digital Unite and They're designed to work as a resource for NIACE have recently launched a far-reaching trainers and as something people can use digital inclusion programme in these to teach themselves. Free to use and easy environments, Get Digital. Get Digital is to print they are a resource available to available to social landlords in England who everybody. Incorporated into this zone is a manage sheltered housing schemes. It is Q&A area, where users can ask and answer funded by Communities and Local questions and share what they've learned. Government (CLG) and will run until March 2011. By the end of the project DU will have DU is probably best known for its worked with 195 sheltered housing schemes organisation of the annual Silver Surfers' to improve the digital literacy of their Day (SSD) campaign. SSD encourages and residents and provided online assistance to supports organisations of every kind to the residents in a further 300 schemes. run hundreds of free events for older users up and down the country. Thousands of www.digitalunite.com 27 Annex 1 Notable examples of practice
UK online centres technology, training and support in older people’s homes. It has a comprehensive UK online centres was set up by website and chatroom facility developed to government in 2000 to provide public help reduce social isolation for vulnerable access to computers. Its mission is to adults and older people provided by the connect people to digital skills and Council’s Adult and Social Care Services. opportunities, using technology to improve lives and life chances. It operates a website with significant local information, resources and a grapevine There are 6,000 UK online centres across section that provides a place to share England – on high streets, in libraries, information and communicate on topics of internet cafés, and community centres. common interest. This is also a mechanism Some are mobile, on buses. Many use the for mutual support. Sections of the website web portal myguide to introduce people to cover wide range of topics including the world of ICT. Launched in October hobbies, news, sports, money advice, 2007, the myguide website offers a free, disability, health and social care and easy to use email service and web search community safety. facility from a simple homepage, plus taster courses to help people get to grips with Since starting in 2001 it has helped over computers and the internet. 600 individuals in their own homes. It has also provided assistance with equipment Around two million people use UK online and training to enable 3000 people in 25 centres every year, they are in 84% of sheltered housing locations, 24 social care deprived wards, around half of the people locations, and 12 voluntary organisations using them have no formal qualifications, to experience using computers. and one-third consider themselves to have a disability or mental health issue. The team is made up of four full-time equivalent staff and has a budget of UK online centres has launched an around £100,000 a year, with initiative called Pass IT On. Encouraging approximately 30% coming from grants. people to pass on use of IT to friends, family, employees and even complete A 2003 evaluation found that 97% of strangers. A new website developed by service users reported a favourable UK, www.helppassiton.co.uk includes the experience with the project, while 69% information and resources both said that they had no prior intention to individuals and organisations (at connect to the internet and would not www.partners.helppassiton.co.uk) need to have connected without it. start passing their IT know-how on to A key determinant of the service’s success other people. is considered to be its practical, hands-on www.ukonlinecentres.com approach providing users with the equipment that they need, the training CareOnLine they need to use it and ongoing support. Leicestershire County Council’s CareOnLine www.leicscareonline.org.uk/index/about_c service provides computer and assistive areonline.htm 28 INtouch kirklees and disadvantaged, the take-up of digital Looking Local television is high. (INtouch is available on Sky, cable, and freeview boxes with a back INtouch kirklees is a local digital TV site channel). INtouch is also available to which enables residents to access services anyone with an internet-enabled mobile and information electronically. Kirklees says phone and to anyone with a Wii. some of its main motivations for developing INtouch were: INtouch kirklees offers over 5,000 pages of information from Kirklees Council, other • to give universal e-access to citizens, public sector organisations, voluntary particularly those without internet groups and Kirklees residents. In addition access or PC skills; to a range of advice and information and • to increase social and digital inclusion local authority service options, users can by making use of the familiar technology contribute their own information, including of television; creative writing, memories and personal stories, messages to a loved one and recipe • to build confidence and increase ideas and can participate in a virtual participation by encouraging people to reading and creative writing group, run by a create their own content and valuing volunteer, and use related library services their contribution; and information. Kirklees believes that • to promote community cohesion and being able to use services and share involvement by encouraging discussion information via the familiar medium of between people who wouldn't otherwise television helps participants to feel more meet. confident in their own abilities. Kirklees believes the site has had the DigiTV - Looking Local was set up to share greatest impact for those people who are the knowledge and experience that Kirklees in some sense isolated and therefore developed with INtouch with other local ‘excluded’ from the community. This authorities, and to solve the problems of applies to older people or those who have technical complexity and affordability. It mobility problems, those who do not have provides a range of public sector PCs at home and find it difficult to make organisations with a platform for digital use of community IT facilities due to information services. In essence, INtouch childcare or other caring commitments, kirklees is a customer of the Looking Local and those who are so wary of new service, in common with 120 other local technologies that they do not have the authorities, housing associations and other confidence to use a computer. public sector organisations. INtouch has been able to remove the Looking Local is a partner in the VIRTEx barriers between these residents and IT, project. Other partners include Tunstall helping people to take part in their Healthcare Group, housing trusts and communities regardless of their Sheffield University. VIRTEx is using digital circumstance because in those areas of TV to set up a virtual community of Kirklees that are considered to be service users and carers. It is also piloting 29 Annex 1 Notable examples of practice
two-way video conferencing. It and information, can also be a form of characterises the project as social comfort or companionship to some networking using digital TV. people, particularly those who are www.kirklees.gov.uk/community/intouch/in housebound or infirm. It believes that the touch.shtml availability of digital TV will bring many benefits, such as more channels and Digital Outreach advanced features, and that it is important that everyone knows what to Digital Outreach is a partnership between do to ensure they will be able to receive Age Concern, Help the Aged, Community digital television after the switchover. Service Volunteers and Collective Enterprises Ltd. Its goals The organisation achieves its aims by are to: working with and through trusted voluntary sector and charitable • Identify and support people who are organisations. In each region it enables experiencing or may experience barriers local organisations to support older, or disadvantage in adopting digital disabled and other potentially vulnerable technologies; people by providing information and • Raise awareness about new digital and speakers for events or drop-ins, training assistive technologies; volunteers and developing a network of help and advice for older, disabled, • Provide information, assistance and vulnerable and disadvantaged people to research services to organisations help them make the switch. wishing to increase the take-up of new technologies through being more In the Granada region, building on its inclusive; experience on the Community Outreach Programme for switchover, it has been • Provide training, expertise and running a three-month pilot scheme knowledge services around the theme of called Get Connected: Get Online aimed the use of technology in people’s homes. at older people and people on low Digital Outreach has been commissioned incomes. It has worked with two voluntary to deliver the Community Outreach organisations, one rural and one urban, Programme for the switchover from Age Concern Stockport and Villages in analogue to digital television. The Digital Partnership, to run 100 events about the Switchover Community Outreach internet. These have been run at places or Programme supports people who do not gatherings that are familiar to the target qualify for the government's Switchover group and are delivered by trusted people Help Scheme, but who nevertheless need who are known to them. or would like some assistance or advice in www.digitaloutreach.org.uk making the switch from analogue to digital TV. Digital Outreach considers that television as well as being a source of entertainment 30 Angus Gold and instructors had to find teaching methods that avoided emphasis on The Angus 50+ project, re-named by reading and typing. users as Angus Gold, aimed to provide information and increase awareness, usage Participants noted that they used their and uptake of IT and internet access in new skills to book holidays and make the 50-plus age group. The project savings, to use online auction sites, buy developed a website with the participants, goods online, use search engines, and for and focused on the access and usability online banking and money management. needs of inexperienced and frail users. The project also produced a smartcard for Free IT training was delivered to small discounts and incentives and publications. groups, tailored for each learner and A key object was to involve participants in carried out in locations the learners felt community engagement activity. This was comfortable with, such as day centres and achieved through Angus Gold Forums, sheltered housing complexes. The project which engaged in discussion and action also offered a drop-in facility with support. relating to the interests and concerns of A mobile training facility was also used. the participants. Over 700 participants have undertaken The project, started in 2004, was due to basic computer training with a quarter finish in March 2006 but was extended progressing to further training at for a further year to allow for completion. community college level and over a quarter It is now embedded in the Community purchasing their own computers. Learning and Development Service in An evaluation of the project found that of Angus. those with access to a computer, 70% The project budget was just over reported using it for email, 64% for £560,000 spread over three years. Key accessing the internet and 45% for getting players were Angus Council, Angus information. The project has successfully College, Age Concern Scotland, Microsoft, targeted individuals who might face barriers Tayside Police and NHS Tayside. to accessing training elsewhere, with 44% living alone, 40% with a chronic illness or Key to the success of the project has been disabling condition and a third rarely or not the development of progression routes for always able to get out and about. The participants; for example they can go on to training had a less than 10% drop-out rate. become IT volunteers or take other training courses to ensure the sustainability of the Key factors that led to success were: the work and wider engagement (leading, for age-targeted format, everyone being at a example, to older people influencing similar level and the relaxed atmosphere service delivery in other areas). and tone of the classes. All these made the classes a welcome opportunity to www.angusgold.com establish or widen a social network for the participants. The training revealed unexpected levels of literacy problems
31 Annex 2 Interviewees and seminar participants
Seminar participants Interviewees Will Abbott, Freesat Kevin Carey, Humanity Duncan Brindley, Video Juicer Alex Carmichael, Dundee University Richard Curry, Imperial College Sue Collins, JRF Kevin Doughty, JRF Centre for Usable Anne Faulkner, UK Online Home Technology, University of York Guido Gybels, RNID Blaise F Egan, BT Julie Howell, Fortune Cookie Anne Faulkner, UK online centres Paul Cann, Age Concern Oxford Simon Gallimore, Inclusive Digital TV Ltd. Chris Sherwood, NESTA Rama Gheerawo, The Helen Hamlyn Emma Soloman, Digital Unite Centre, Royal College of Art Steve Tyler, RNIB Kathleen Gillet, Counsel and Care Kevin Doughty, Centre for Usable Home Kevin Johnson, Cisco Technology at York University Rebecca King, Antigone John Gill, RNIB Claire Lilley, Which? Alan Newell, Dundee University Sheena McDonald, BBC Ali Rogan, Turnstall Health Care Group Adam Oliver, BT Professor Gregg Van Der Heiden, Emma Solomon, Digital Unite University of Wisconsin-Madison Jonathan Sykes, Tiscali Leonie Vlachos, Age Concern and Help Leonie Vlachos, Age Concern and Help the Aged the Aged Professor Alan Walker, University of Simon Walker, Maidthorn Partners Sheffield Bob Warner, OFCOM Alison Williams, Tunstall Healthcare Group The following individuals also provided valuable input: Debbie Wosskow, Maidthorn Partners Mima Cattan, Northumbria University; Ian Retson, Leicestershire CareOnLine and David Rowland, Age Concern Liverpool.
32 Annex 3 Steering group members
Emma Soloman - Digital Unite Damian Radcliffe - OFCOM Adam Oliver - BT Brian Lamb - RNID Leela Damodaran - Research School of Informatics, Loughborough University Guy Giles - Looking Local Alan Taylor - BBC Ben Brown- UK online centres Kevin Doughty - Centre for Usable Home Technology, University of York Paul Cann - Age Concern Oxfordshire Kevin Johnson - Cisco Jacques Mizan - Young Foundation Andrew Barnett - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Luis Jeronimo - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Portugal Annabel Knight - Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK
33 References
1 Opportunity Age: Meeting the challenges of ageing in through better coordination and encouraging the 21st century , Department of Work and collaboration between members. For more Pensions, (2005). information see: www.digitalparticipation.com 2 Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: A new direction for 8 Examples include the use of teleconferencing for community services , Department of Health White book clubs and other discussion groups currently Paper (2006). being piloted and run by Independent Age’s Live 3 The Department of Health says ‘telecare is as much Wires project, Community Network and RSVP. There about the philosophy of dignity and independence are also a number of befriending services offered by as it is about equipment and services. Equipment is phone, such as Net Neighbours, an Age Concern provided to support the individual in their home York project in which, after a chat, befrienders take a and tailored to meet their needs. It can be as grocery list and make orders online for older people. simple as the basic community alarm service, able Independent Age’s sister charity The Universal to respond in an emergency and provide regular Beneficent Society (UBS) is also running a project contact by telephone. It can include detectors or called telephone buddies. Befrienders make monitors such as motion or falls and fire and gas telephone contact with an older person, matched to that trigger a warning to a response centre’. For them by interest, at least once a month. more information see: 9 Findlay, R. A. ‘Interventions to reduce social www.dh.gov.uk/en/SocialCare/Deliveringadultsoci isolation amongst older people: where is the alcare/Olderpeople/DH_4116208. evidence?’ in Ageing and Society , 23 (2003). Recent spending on the preventative technology 10 BBC News 2004 grant programme totalled £80 million over two years and £30 million has been recently been 11 www.elderlyparents.org.uk, reported at dedicated to the ‘whole systems demonstrator www.saga.co.uk programme’ and local authorities also invest in 12 Victor, C.R., Scambler, S. J., Bowling, A., and Bond, telecare without specific grant support. J., ‘The Prevalence Of, And Risk Factors For, 4 Interview for this project with a care manager Loneliness In Later Life: A survey of older people from Tunstall Healthcare Group, a private sector in Great Britain,’ Ageing and Society , 25 (2005). provider of telecare. She explained that the 13 Victor, C.R et al (2005) see note 12, and Cattan, emphasis is generally on physical not social M., White, M., Bond, J., Learmouth, A., ‘Preventing needs. Social Isolation And Loneliness Among Older 5 National Plan for Digital Participation , Department People: a systematic review of health promotion for Business, Innovation and Skills (2010). interventions’, Ageing and Society, 25 (2005). 6 Digital Britain: final report , Department of Culture, 14 Victor, C.R. et al (2005) see note 12. Media and Sport (2009); and National Plan for 15 One Voice: Shaping our ageing society , Age Concern Digital Participation , see previous note. and Help the Aged, (2009). 7 OFCOM has taken the lead in the establishment 16 Ibid. of a Digital Participation Consortium, a UK-wide 17 Ibid. coalition of government, industry and voluntary sector organisations committed to increasing 18 Out of Sight, Out of Mind: social exclusion behind digital participation and achieving greater impact closed doors , Age Concern (2008). 34 19 Ibid. 30 CareOnLine Evaluation Summary by 20 Understanding Digital Exclusion , a research report Loughborough University Ergonomics and Safety by FreshMinds for the Department for Research Institute (ESRI) (2003). Communities and Local Government, (2008). 31 Ward, R., Ferguson, J., Murray, S., ‘Evaluation of 21 Allen, J., Older People and Well-Being , Institute for the Angus Gold Project (a partnership approach Public Policy Research, (2008). to digital education and social inclusion)’, RBS Centre for the Older Person’s Agenda, Queen 22 From the discussion at our July 2009 seminar at Margaret University Research Findings , 8 (2008). the RSA. 32 Introducing Another World: Older people and digital 23 Putnam, R., Bowling Alone: the collapse and revival inclusion , Age Concern and Help the Aged of American community , New York: Simon & (2009). Schuster (2000). 33 Sustaining IT Use by Older People to Promote 24 Social isolation can be seen as part of a lack of Autonomy and Independence , Sus-IT research ‘social capital’. For the purposes of this report we (2010). Sus-IT is a large collaborative project are defining social capital as: ‘the number of (CRP) funded as part of the New Dynamics of people who can be expected to provide support Ageing (NDA) Research Programme which is in and the resources those people have at their turn funded jointly by all five research Councils in disposal’. This definition is drawn from Boxman, et the UK and led by the Economic and Social al (1991). see: Research Council (ESRC). The NDA programme www.socialcapitalresearch.com/definition.html for director is Professor Alan Walker at Sheffield more information. University. More information is available at: 25 Bolam et al, ‘Using New Media to Build Social www.newdynamics.group.shef.ac.uk Capital for Health: a qualitative process evaluation 34 One Voice (2009) see note 15. study of participation in the citynet project’, 35 Journal of Health Psychology , 11; 297 (2006); Sum, Digital Inclusion: An analysis of social disadvantage and S. et al, ‘Internet Technology and Social Capital: the information society Department of Communities how the internet affects seniors’, Social Capital and and Local Government, (2008) and Understanding Wellbeing (2008). Digital inclusion (2007) see note 20. 36 26 Personal communication from Kevin Johnson, Ibid. Cisco. 37 Digital Communications for All Consultation 27 The BBC’s Canvas Project: see the BBC website Document OFCOM (2009). For details see: for details. www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/access/access 38 28 The Digital Switchover Help Scheme has For example, Digital Inclusion, Social Impact: A designated that all digiboxes in phase one will research study , UK online centres (2008) showed have a return path and that all people over 75 and in demonstrator models that older people with some people on disability benefit will benefit from adequate support enthusiastically used IT. For the Help Scheme. details see: www.ukonlinecentres.com/corporate/images/storie 29 Case study of INtouch kirklees on the looking s/downloads/digital_inclusion_research_report.pdf local website: www.lookinglocal.gov.uk
35 References
39 Research commissioned by Age Concern/Help 55 Sustaining IT Use by Older People... (2010) see the Aged from ICM Research. See: note 33. Barriers recorded by this research also www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/internet- included: lack of confidence; reluctance to engage champion-release-210909.asp in/lack of familiarity with ‘trial and error’ 40 UK adults’ media literacy, 2009: An interim report , approaches; frequent changes in hardware and OFCOM (2009). software; the pace of demonstrations/delivery of instruction and guidance is too fast; confusion 41 Internet Access, Households and Individuals 2009 , regarding the options in operating procedures; Office of National Statistics (2009). use of jargon and unfamiliar terminology; short- 42 Delivering digital inclusion: An action plan for term memory problems; infrequent use results in consultation , Communities and Local Government problems remembering passwords, procedures (2008). etc; cost (including the cost of training and of updating software including virus protection); 43 Media literacy audit amongst older people , OFCOM design issues - the lack of standardisation of (2006). interfaces; concerns about security. 44 Digital Lifestyles: Adults aged 60 and over , OFCOM 56 Older People and Communications Technology , (2009). Communications Consumer Panel 2006 cited in 45 The Consumer Experience , OFCOM (2009). Age Concern and Help the Aged One Voice 46 Digital Lifestyles (2009) see note 44. (2009) see note 15. 57 47 Ibid. Ibid. 58 48 Ibid. Introducing another world (2009) see note 55. 59 49 Media Literacy Audit (2006) see note 43. Sustaining IT Use by Older People (2010) see note 33. 50 Presentation on OFCOM research by Damian 60 Radcliffe at our March Steering Group meeting. Cattan, M. et al Preventing Social Isolation (2005) see note 13. 51 Commentary on Computers and People with 61 Disabilities: Accessible computing - past trends and With funding from the Government’s Technology future suggestions by Alan F. Newell, ACM Strategy Board as part of the Assisted Living Transactions on Accessible Computing , Vol 1, No 2 Innovation Platform (ALIP). (2008). 62 Examples include BT Internet Rangers and a 52 Personal communication from Leonie Vlachos, recent initiative by the BBC encouraging people Digital Manager, Age Concern England. to help friends onto the internet. 63 53 Introducing Another World: Older people and digital Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Give: inclusion , Age Concern and Help the Aged (2009) . 5 ways to wellbeing , a report presented to the Foresight Project on communicating the evidence 54 Olphert, C.W et al Towards Digital Inclusion – base for improving people’s wellbeing, new engaging older people in the digital world Paper economics foundation (2008). For details see: given at Accessible Design in the Digital World www.neweconomics.org/sites/neweconomics.org/ Conference, Dundee (2005). files/Five_Ways_to_Wellbeing_Evidence_1.pdf
36 Independent Age is unique in providing lifelong support to older people in need. We provide the information, advice, friendship and emergency grants they need, through our network of volunteers. Supported by Independent Age, thousands of older people across the United Kingdom and Ireland are able to maintain their independence, contribute to their communities and enjoy a good quality of life.
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an international charitable foundation with cultural, educational and social interests. Based in Lisbon with branches in London and Paris, the Foundation is in a privileged position to support transnational work tackling contemporary issues facing Europe. The purpose of the UK Branch in London is to connect and enrich the experiences of individuals, families and communities with a special interest in supporting those who are the most disadvantaged. In 2008, the Foundation launched an initiative on ageing and social cohesion, with a number of activities developed with colleagues in Lisbon. This report represents the latest development of a wide portfolio of work which we hope will contribute to a growing understanding of the impact of demographic ageing to our society. 37 Independent Age 6 Avonmore Road London The Royal United Kingdom Beneficent Association W14 8RL Telephone: 020 7605 4200 Independent Age is the operating name of the Royal United Fax: 020 7605 4201 Kingdom Beneficent Association www.independentage.org.uk Charity Registration Number 210729