How are Digital Technologies Helping Senior Citizens?
At the World Health Organization, the population of senior citizens in the world stood at around 125 million. By 2050, the number of seniors over the age of 60 years is slated to comprise a fifth of the world’s total population. There are many digital technological innovations that cater specially to this growing demographic. However, this is also the group that is the slowest to adopt the digital revolution, even after understanding the usefulness of digital technology. Overcoming the ‘psycho-digital’ divide, or the anxiety due to lack of competence and acceptance of the associated risks has been the biggest hurdle to cross for the elderly. However, they have a lot to gain from the virtual world.
Here are some examples of how senior citizens are benefiting from the digital revolution.
Smartphones allow easy access to your savings account and many senior citizens actively engage in financial activities since it gives them a sense of inclusion in the digital economy. Personal banking is now available online, making it easily accessible to anyone with a phone and access to the internet. Opening a savings account can be done online without setting foot outside your home. You can receive alerts on your mobile phone for all account-related transactions, especially the ones pertaining to credit or debit. With internet banking, you can instantly view your electronic ledger with a completely reconciled statement of accounts. Utility payments such as electricity bills or mobile recharges can be easily paid online without the need to stand in queues physically.
Communication has evolved from snail mail, email or text, to voice/video calling and photo sharing. The new modes of communication allow seniors to remain socially connected with their loved ones no matter what part of the world they are in. Being a part of groups and staying active on social networks like Facebook also remains a popular choice for the elderly who want to be continually involved in the lives of their near and dear ones. There are many specialised groups too, some of which come with paid memberships. Payments for these memberships can be made with online personal banking services.
Self-education is also one of the internet’s biggest draws for senior citizens, especially when it comes to browsing the web to learn about health or medical issues. Exposure to a wide variety of content or multimedia keeps them mentally alert and keenly aware. They can also spend time reading or listening to the news and weather bulletins, looking up food and nutrition information, viewing entertainment or playing online games such as Scrabble and chess. With easy access to their savings account, buying books online or joining classes has become simpler. All these activities enable seniors to remain in touch with the world in ways that were not earlier possible.
Advancements in digital healthcare technology have proven to be a boon for the elderly. Health records can be accessed online and easily shared with family members or with a treating physician. The ability to integrate the smartphone with a variety of medical sensors (such as a glucose monitoring device), has made the delivery of better healthcare to the aged population a lot faster and easier. After opening a savings account online, the elderly can purchase healthcare apps. It is also possible to search for a particular doctor or specialist, check their availability and book an appointment online.
With technology focused on bringing in more convenience and accessibility to our lives, increased enthusiasm from the elderly in adapting technology could enrich their lives deeply.
