Technology and ageing david sinclair ilc

Technology and ageing
Home Sweet Home

David Sinclair, International Longevity
Centre – UK @ilcuk

@sinclairda #nudgeorcompel
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

Summary

 The world is changing

 Using technology can be good for
us

 10 years of digital inclusion policy.

 Why aren't older people online
(access, skills, behaviour).

 Tackling the barriers

http://nudges.org/tag/urinals/


A significant association between internet use
and perceived control in one‟s life
Uses the internet
Yes No Total

Strongly agree 551 (39.6%) 840 (60.4%) 1391
Moderately agree 1515 (51.6%) 1420 (48.4%) 2935

Slightly agree 1545 (59.4%) 1058 (40.6%) 2603

Slightly disagree 636 (68.2%) 296 (31.8%) 932
Moderately 593 (77.3%) 174 (22.7%) 767
disagree
Strongly disagree 268 (71.8%) 105 (28.2%) 373
Chi-Sq= 422.074, df = 5, P=<0.000
Table 1. Feels what happens in life is often determined by factors beyond control


A strong association between the measure of
internet use and measures of loneliness
Uses the internet

Yes No Total

Hardly ever or 3764 (60.2%) 2489 (39.8%) 6253
never
Some of the time 1091(51.3%) 1037 (48.7%) 2128

Often 272 (37.4%) 456 (62.6%) 728

Chi-Sq= 166.556, df = 2, P=<0.000
Table 5. How often respondent feels lonely


People who reported not using the internet were
more likely to say that they „often‟ felt isolated
Uses the internet

Yes No Total

Hardly ever or 3683 (59.5%) 2503 (40.5%) 6186
never
Some of the time 1242 (52.6%) 1118 (47.4%) 2360

Often 198 (37.4%) 331 (62.6%) 529

Chi-Sq= 115.871, df = 2, P=<0.000
Table 6. How often respondent feels isolated from others


We found a weak association between the
measure of internet use and anxiety

Uses the internet

Yes No Total

Experiences anxiety 194 (44.5%) 242 436
(55.5%)
Doesn‟t experience 216 (62.6%) 129 345
anxiety (37.4%)

Chi-Sq= 4.008, df = 1, P=0.045
Table 4. Respondent reports anxiety


Looking back to 2003

Instructions, packaging, user
experience, hardware, software gave
a relatively terrible user experience
for many
Accessibility and the User Experience
has vastly improved (hardware, http://www.adsavvy.org/amazoncoms-new-frustration-free-packaging-is-eco-and-

software, ease of purchase, setup) customer-friendly/

There are millions of fewer people not
online
But there are millions more (over 7.5
million) still offline


The slow death of adult learning?

Government had invested heavily in learning (UK Online Centres)
We have failed to evaluate impact of learning and ACL struggles to
justify expenditure.
Public sector spending on adult learning is likely to be squeezed
further due to spending cuts.
By 2014/15 the education budget will be reduce by 13%. Spending on
schools will fall by 1%. But we will see 20% cuts to Further Education
and sixth-form colleges, and 40% to Higher Education institutions.


And since 2003

Technology has facilitated better
back office functions which has
made service delivery better for
all.
But more private and public
services are available exclusively
online

The issue continues to be no-
ones and everyone's
responsibility.
Where are the Ministers? An
assumption remains that the http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/
market will solve this problem.


But much public discourse remains the same

“This problem will go away. The
next generation will be fine”
Last quarter ONS Stats showed
that progress for 65+s is two
thirds slower than for under 65s
(4.36% improvement vs 14.22%)

Still an obsession with assuming
“my mum” knows the answer

Offline groups are still more likely
to be older, have disabilities or be
from lower socio-economic
groups.


From universal access to high speed
broadband

Delivering Digital Inclusion (2008): Recognised behavioural
issues and led to the creation of Race Online (but little else?)

Digital Britain (2009) saw digital inclusion move to BIS and
DCMS.

Digital Britain conflated the issues of skills development and
motivation. No initiatives were proposed in either regard, although
the work of Race Online 2012 was referred to as a solution. Later
that year actions legislative responsibility moved to the Treasury
recognising economic imperative in relation to high speed
broadband.

Britain’s Superfast Broadband Future (2010) abandons the UK
Government‟s universal ambitions?

A move towards “digital by default”

„We need to embrace new
ways of delivering services
… We need to be digital
by default. Services that
could be delivered online
should be delivered only
online … Digital by default
will become a reality, not
just a buzz phrase‟.
Frances Maude MP
http://www.ieg4.com/

Universal Benefit – Heavy
reliance of online access.


The role for new technologies

 135 years ago– first two way
phone call made

 In 2000 – ½ world had never
owned a phone

 By 2007 ½ the world had a
mobile phone

 It took 75 years for telephones
to reach 50 million users

 It took 4 years for the internet
to reach 50 million


Care Home Sweet Home

 Tablet computers
 Smartphones
 GPS monitoring
 Epilepsy monitors
 Lifestyle/behavoural
monitoring
 Medication reminders


Google knows! Location Based Services


My Society/Fixmystreet.com


Tripadvisor for Care Homes


Ocado for care


Technology to facilitate active ageing

 Volunteering

 Gradual Retirement
(slithers of time)

 Opportunities for
fun

 Opportunities to
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardstubbs/59336799

participate in 19/sizes/m/in/photostream/

society

Web facilitating access to Information and
Advice

• More confident consumers of care with raising
expectations rather than patients
• More tests available online/instant response
(telehealth/care/monitoring)
• Greater access to information about conditions
(accuracy?)
• Expectations to become more focused on “fix
it”, prevent it, cure it?
• Growth in health tourism. What about care
tourism? (Travelodge/recuperation in Spain)


Barriers to going technology use

 Barriers to going online can be categorised
as: Access, Skills and Behavioural choice

 The disproportionally under-researched topic
of behaviour and attitudes seem to play just
as great, if not a greater role as access and
skills


Digital Exclusion still a problem

 Seven in ten 16-24s now using a smartphone. Under one in ten 65-74s and
just 3% of over-75s do so.
 In the last year there has been a small drop in the percentage of those
aged over 75 with broadband at home (26% to 23%).
 1/4 aged 75+ use the internet, the same figure as 2011.
 15% of 25-44 year olds have a tablet PC, just 4% of 65-74 and 1% of over
75s do.
 “involuntary non-ownership of internet has risen significantly among those
aged over 75″.
 54% over 75s have difficulty using PC compared with 3% 16-24 year olds.
 Whilst disabled people aged 15 -34 have comparable internet access to
non disabled people, those aged over 35 with visual or mobility impairment
fall behind those without an impairment of the same age group.
 Over 65s with a visual impairment are significantly less likely than other
over 65s to have a mobile.


But firstly, take care with Age Assumptions


Usability


Motivating and inspiring the older population

“But how much smaller do
we want a phone?”

Some/many do want new
technology but: “I don’t
want to live in a smart-
home – I’d rather be dead” http://www.flickr.com/photos/un_photo/58
32685007/sizes/z/in/photostream/


Can‟t continue to ignore the ethical issues

Moral and ethical
debates – cant afford
to ignore them
Must help older people
choose technology
when it is right for
them (tagging/urine
tests)
Privacy


Technology wont tackle the fundamental
problems

The first rule of any technology used in a business is
that automation applied to an efficient operation
will magnify the efficiency. The second is that
automation applied to an inefficient operation will
magnify the inefficiency.

Bill Gates
(Let‟s get the basics right first!)


Limited culture of private purchase of
health/care technologies

 Personalisation?

 Access to
information and
advice?

 But Health Apps are
biggest growth area http://www.flickr.com/photos/thousandshipz/4679235/sizes/m/in/photo
stream/

for Iphone.

Policy implications

Usability: Perhaps we need a legislative approach?
Or would this constrain innovation?

Inspiring and engaging the older consumer: How
can we tackle “its not for me”

Addressing ethics: Need to be more up front with
consumers about the use of technology


Complacency about technology: Technology is a
tool. But not a magic bullet.

Digital Exclusion: Do we need compulsion? Can
we nudge?

Creating a culture of private purchase: Need
healthcare technology on the BBC breakfast sofa.


Can we nudge?

 Service providers could attract older customers
by finding ways of discounted installation and
connection deals, and initial periods of free
internet access.
 Companies advertising technology and
opportunities to learn technology should use
imagery of both older and younger people.
 Government and the private sector should
support local digital champions to make the
case at a community level for the use of new
technology.
 Government and the private should invest
more in adult learning, particularly if certain
services are going to be made available
exclusively online.
 The technology sector should place more
emphasis on co-design.


Should we go further? Compulsion?

“By switching services, like what we have
done with analogue TV, there is a real
opportunity to carry people on [to the
internet],... I think that shutting down
services would be the best way of
carrying through the most amount of
people, as long as it is carried through
with training”

“the acid test for Directgov is whether it
can empower, and make life simpler for,
citizens and at the same time allow
government to turn other things off”

Martha Lane Fox

Many thanks

David Sinclair

Head of Policy and Research

International Longevity Centre

David.sinclair@ilcuk.org.uk

02073400440

Twitter: @ilcuk and @sinclairda


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