Technology and your Granny

Technology and me, you … and your granny!, by Grace (DCU Masters student)

Excuse the somewhat brash title, what I’m attempting to convey is that, technology impacts everyone in society. So, this does include your 14 year old son and your 86 year old grandmother. Society is experiencing a global phenomenon known as the ‘digital divide’ which is essentially, the gap between adapters of technology and those who are more adverse and sceptical with regard to technology adaption and includes the older generation of society and their adaption of technology.

As I’ve said previously, technology is changing all aspects of our lives regardless of age. Us ‘digital natives’ have grown up with technology so, we embrace it but, what about those who haven’t. Older members of society are facing the task of keeping up with new, faster and ever-changing technology and this can be daunting.  Lam and Lee (2006) introduced the idea of a ‘digitally inclusive society’ which advocates the creation of a world in which people of all ages, in all corners of the globe could readily access and utilise technology.

There are many reasons which underpin older people’s resistance to technology. The primary reasons include concerns about security and privacy, fear of the unknown and lack of confidence in their ability, all of which are valid reasons and all of which are possible to overcome (See NY Times article). There is however, a danger of being left behind if older people don’t attempt to keep up with technological advances. I’m not saying older people should start writing computer code, designing websites or attending the next Web summit but, introducing some element of technology can greatly improve the lives of older people.

Of course, there are a huge number of this older generation who already utilise technology and are eager to learn more. As part of my Masters in E-commerce at DCU, every week, I volunteer at the Intergenerational Learning Programme which aims to help older technology adjust to new technologies.   The learners attending this programme are truly inspirational in terms of adapting to change. In spite of any reservations or nerves they may be experiencing, they all fully immerse themselves in the learning experience and are open and excited at the prospect of developing new skills.

In today’s class, myself and Catherine (another Masters student) delivered a class on Facebook. The volunteers aided the learners in setting up Facebook, uploading pictures, adding friends and liking pages. I’m extremely happy to report that both the volunteers and the learners loved it.  Introducing social networking to older people is a great experience for me, as I believe that communicating through platforms like Twitter and Facebook enriches our interaction with friends and family and makes communication instant, constant and easy.

So, what’s next for the ILP learners and all older people in terms of technology? Facebook is only the beginning in my view. Once, older people become comfortable using technology they can truly harness its potential.  It is my hope that they start to gain benefit from the use of technology. Staying in touch with old friends and family abroad is a wonderful element of technology but, it merely scratches the surface in terms of potential uses. Older people can use technology to make life more enjoyable and easier in many ways. For example; reading the news online keeps people informed and can save an older person from walking to the newsagents in the rain. Grocery shopping online, organisational apps, health apps and a whole realm of possibilities await older people. All they need to do is adapt.

The other side of, older people’s increasing use of technology is the potential for businesses. Retired people do have more free time to search the internet, to engage with companies via these social media platforms. This poses a huge opportunity for businesses to tap into and is one I hope to discuss next week.

In the meantime, I would encourage everyone to help their grandparents, aunts and parents engage in technology. Also, for more information check out the Intergenerational Programme on Facebook.