itea and Biscuits week and ‘Internet Champion Search’!

Age Concern and Help the Aged are looking for an Internet Champion to represent the charity and provide a leading light for the estimated 6.4 million people 65+ who have never used the internet, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.

Many older people never have the chance to use the Internet, despite new research from Age Concern and Help the Aged finding that older people see the benefit of the internet with three in four people believing it to be a useful tool to stay in contact with friends and family (ICM survey 11-18 September 2009). The research also found that 61% of older people believe the internet to be a useful way of making savings on products and services.

The Internet Champion – who will be a regular older person who has embraced the internet – will show older people that using the internet is a realistic possibility for them and that they too can reap the benefits of being online.

The winner of the Internet Champion search will receive a laptop computer, a complete BT package including BT Total Broadband, as well as an all-expenses paid trip to London. For more information visit www.ageconcern.org.uk/it.

itea and biscuits week, supported by BT, offers older people nationwide the opportunity to get involved in technology ’taster sessions’ at local Age Concerns and other supporting organisations from September 21 to 25.

What is a regular older person?

The Internet Champion search aims to find an ordinary person (aged 55+) who has recently learned to use the internet and whose personal story can inspire others. The search will begin on 21 September 2009 and end on 13 November 2009 with the winner being selected by a panel of judges from Age Concern and Help the Aged. To apply, candidates will need to fill in the Internet Champion application form which can be downloaded from www.ageconcern.org.uk/it.

 

He who knows not…..

As may be seen from our own approach here at in my prime we firmly believe that internet access and online activity is not only the future but is already the present. Accordingly, we very much welcome the Government’s Digital Britain Report and initiatives such as NESTA’s “Reboot Britain”.

It is, therefore, rather disconcerting to see in research carried out for Ofcom that not only is there a significant minority who do not have the internet but that many of them, particularly older people, have “self-excluded” themselves and do not see the need nor the value in getting to grips with the new technology.

We are now in a transition phase and many elderly people did not work in or were not brought up in a computerised environment. Their attitude is at least understandable. The learning curve for them is particularly steep – although that should not, in itself, be an excuse. I have experience of trying to help someone make the transition and there is much that can be done by the computer industry to make the experience easier for the elderly – core programs only, spam-free, virus-free, pop-up free, update restricted etc. etc.

But for those over 50s who have not yet reached this stage in their lives there is no excuse. Whether it be employability, keeping in the social mainstream, access to information, finances, improved purchasing power or a host of other uses and benefits, being connected is of paramount importance. Otherwise a truly second class citizenship will emerge and is already doing so.

Every encouragement, incentive and opportunity must be provided to bring people aboard. This is not another example of a nanny state telling us what is good for us and restricting the freedom of the individual – people must not be allowed to shy away.

He who knows not and knows not that he knows not is a fool; avoid him.

He who knows not and knows that he knows not is a student; teach him.

He who knows and knows not that he knows is asleep; wake him.

He who knows and knows that he knows is a wise man; follow him.

Ancient Proverb

Another one bites the dust!

This week has seen the demise of yet another high budget, high profile over 50s social networking/lifestyle site – this time in the USA. Its name is irrelevant since it is now history.

Here, at in my prime, we carry out global research on a daily basis covering all kinds of issues as they relate to the world’s ageing population and to older people (whatever that might mean exactly). Some while ago we wrote here about the nature of sites for the over 50s and the genuine need for subject specific social networking sites, for example ones which might bring together those seeking employment or those who have been out of work for some time. This time can be very lonely, frustrating and depressing in which knowledge, advice and mutual support would be of tremendous value. We are still waiting to see one but we know it will come.

Websites, currently, tend to fall into a number of categories. There are a few sites or blogs, rather like ours, which are run by professionals in the field and which provide useful information and commentary on what is happening in the over 50s arena. I will come back to those in a future blog.

For the rest they tend to fall into three main categories.

There are some very good sites emanating from charities and central or local government which provide a wealth of information and advice and which all “silver surfers” should refer to. They tend, on the whole, to be geared towards issues affecting the more elderly end of the age spectrum.

There are sites which are run as a hobby by old codgers for old codgers. These are cosy, friendly and non-threatening but, in the end, there is a limit to how many times one can laugh at a joke about going upstairs and not remembering why.

And there are those, the ones now falling by the wayside, which are what one might call “lifestyle” sites. These are based on the false premise that “older” is a condition that you wake up to one morning having been “younger” the day before and from now on all your friends only fit into the “older” category and anything you buy must be purchased from an age-specific site – insurance, washing machines, holidays – anything. Why?

The mature market (mature meerkat?) does not operate like that and does not want to operate like that.

More silver surfers need to obtain and use the Internet

Researchers at the University of Hertfordshire have found that a digital divide still exists and that more silver surfers (over 50s) need to obtain and use the internet in their daily lives.
In the wake of a Government announcement last month that plans to tackle the digital divide among young families by providing parents on low income with equipment and internet access, Dr Jyoti Choudrie and Dr Susan Grey from the University’s Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities Research Institute have revealed research findings about the older generation.

Click here for more >>

(Source: AlphaGalileo)

Internet use ‘good for the brain’

For middle-aged and older people at least, using the internet helps boost brain power, research suggests.

A University of California Los Angeles team found searching the web stimulated centres in the brain that controlled decision-making and complex reasoning.

The researchers say this might even help to counteract the age-related physiological changes that cause the brain to slow down.

Click here for more >>

(Source: BBC)

Baby Boomers catch on to what the “Nintendo Generation” already knew

Britain’s senior executives across the UK are following in the footsteps of their junior colleagues as previously reported concerns over the use of technology give way to positive experience.

A study, published today (10 October), reveals a surge in the use of new media over the past 12 months as directors and senior managers adopt the technology taken for granted by Generation Y.

Click here for more >>

(Source: Consultant-News)

Connecting older people to the world

An interesting development this year was the discovery by the IT industry of a whole new market for affordable computers of the kind that Asus makes and which has already spawned a host of imitators. But there is an even bigger market staring the industry in the face. There are now more pensioners than children under 16.
Click here for more >>

(Source: The Guardian)

Silver surfers on the increase

Last week we saw this year’s Silver Surfers Day (May 23) with initiatives all over the country aimed at getting the over 50s into the technological age. But the good news is that many are already there and leaving the youngsters behind. Over 50s now make up more than 30% of users and an overwhelming number have said that they believe that technology has “changed their lives for the better”.

Figures compiled by Virgin Media show increasing numbers of older people are using the internet to help them develop their social lives whether it is finding new friends through chat rooms or forums, for hobbies or for romance.

And just as we reported that mobile phones were being developed with older users in mind, so we can report that Microsoft is working to develop a PC which will be easier to use and potentially cheaper. This may seem patronising to some but if it allows more people to begin to take advantage of the huge benefits of digital inclusion then we are all for it. As we have intimated in the past we believe that keeping abreast of technology will be one of the keys to a successful and happy old age for most of us who are now in our prime. So even if you’re not hugely interested, we suggest it’s worth making the effort to keep up with the latest technological developments as they emerge – progress in this arena is so rapid, it can be easy to be left behind.