silver surfers: riding the wave of technology

Image via Shreib-‐Engel

Silver Surfers: Riding the Wave of

Technology

By: Shauna Waters

“Aging is not lost youth, but a new

stage of opportunity and strength”-‐ Be5y

Friedan

Image via PublicDomainPictures

As individuals age, they may become more and more isolated.



Technology has the poten>al to improve and enhance the lives of seniors in a variety of

ways…

…once we iden4fy and break down barriers to

use.



“Today, 59% of [American] seniors report that they go online”-‐ Pew Research Centre


Seniors who use the Internet are mainly mo+vated to do so by children and

grandchildren.

Skype, e-‐mail and social networks are easily accessible ways to stay connected with family

and friends.

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Internet use can lead to enhanced cogni+on

through the use of search engines and educa@onal

games.

Seniors can shop and bank from home even if they are restricted by poor mobility and the

inability to drive a car.


Seniors can have another chance at love, with

online da+ng being the second most common place to meet a mate

later in life.


Those over 55 are the fastest growing group of users of online da+ng sites.


Image via nuzree

Overall, the Internet has the poten@al to decrease the risk of depression in the elderly by greater than 30%.

Internet use drops significantly aHer the age of 75, indica@ng that there exists barriers to use.

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Sta@s@cally, seniors from lower socio-‐

economic backgrounds with lower educa+on levels are the least likely to use the

Internet.

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Seniors are oHen skep@cal of providing personal informa+on online, as they are a common target for iden+ty the? and scams.

Physical and cogni+ve disabili+es, such as loss of sight and hearing, prevent some older adults from learning

computer skills.

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Image via MissEJB

So how do we break down the barriers?


There are classes available at community centres and public libraries to increase digital

literacy, specifically for seniors.


Children and grandchildren, as well as student volunteers, can provide in-‐home educa@on…

But be pa+ent with them!

We must make it easier for our seniors to enrich their lives by joining the technological

+des of change to become…


Image via quadinsan


http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2009002/article/10910-eng.htm http://www.sainetz.at/dokumente/Older_adults_and_internet_use_2012.pdf http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/04/03/older-adults-and-technology-use/ http://scholar.google.ca/scholar_url?hl=en&q=http://www.researchgate.net/publication/5431128_Internet_use_and_loneliness_in_older_adults/file/3deec515bc17554b06.pdf&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm0zyUwHNt9Zo0M0zX-HbYymVr5mNQ&oi=scholarr&ei=ZEZ6U9-XKYqXyATrv4LoCA&ved=0CCcQgAMoADAA http://c24izzah.wikispaces.com/file/view/Computer,+Internet,+and+E-mail+Use+Among+Older+Adults+Benefits+and.pdf http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/22/seniors-internet-fights-depression/8009059/ http://www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/2014/03/rising-trend-in-online-dating-for-seniors

SOURCES

All images contained in this presentation are licensed under the Public Domain CC0 and are sourced from Pixabay
