In the current society, the number of older people is gradually increasing and these seniors are in most cases living alone. Consequently, they suffer intense feelings of loneliness that cause common medical problems observed among the older population. Over the past decade, there have been great advances in the field of information technology and these changes have greatly revolutionized the way people interact, work and carry out their daily duties. This report will highlight how some IT applications can offer help for older generations to enforce their social contacts and be actively involved in different social activities. Literature review will be needed for creating the theoretic background, while the descriptive nature of the research will emphasize the challenges that old people face, and the solution process for these challenges. Since the actual importance of studying the challenges will help to define the solution strategy in the global scales, the study is based on the interview intended to test older people.
Introduction
Topic Area
Since older generations have difficulties with the communication technologies, the study of these technologies, as well as helping these people to solve the appearing challenges, will be helpful for simplifying the entire usage of the communication technologies, and expanding the target audience of the communication technologies producers and developers. Nevertheless, digital technologies are intended to simplify most everyday operations, like communication, ordering goods and products, paying for services and son on. (Independent Age, 2010) However, these technologies often mess up older people, and perform the opposite function. This research will be helpful for creating the basis for improving the everyday life and activities for older people. As it is stated by Pollack (2005), technology use among older people has a great potential of bringing great social benefits. Technology use among old people has a great potential of bringing great social benefits to old people like participation (Pollack 2005). This proposal is set to demonstrate that technology has the potential and the ability of enabling the elderly people in their bed to renew and enforce their social contacts. Having considered all this, the use of IT applications can offer a chance to engage old people in meaningful work and other essential tasks in life (Rogers & Fisk, 2006).
Research Questions
The study will be based on the hypothesis that the information technology advances and innovativeness can offer old people with means of interacting with other people and actively participating in different activities (Independent Age 2010). These technologies will prevent the feelings of isolation among old people so that they do not suffer loneliness and social seclusion (Victor et al 2005). The core questions that have inspired this study include;
- How can IT technology be used to prevent and alleviate the feelings of social seclusion and loneliness among senior citizens over 65 years?
- What are the potentials that IT applications offer to enable old people to develop and maintain social contacts and active involvement in the society?(Zijlstra&Aminian 2008,p. 4)
Governments across the world, especially developed nations are making it a priority to invest in technology that would improve the access to new technologies by old people as well as those living with disabilities (Pollack 2005). The major question emerging from this is ‘to what end is digital participation going to take place? More specifically, this bring the third question.
- Is there any sufficient rationally given to the use of IT to address challenges of old people? (Independent Age 2010)
- Does this strategy really provide a meaningful social interaction and involvement?
Objectives of Study
The research will seek to fulfil several objectives which all tend to enable old people to be active in the society and alleviate social isolation feelings (Findlay 2003). The research will also seek to address the use of IT as a threat to health and general welfare of old people. Old generations usually have several weaknesses like hearing loss, impaired vision, memory lapse and physical weakness. Thus, the main objective is to do away? With the view that older people are weak, depended and incapable of managing their lives (Independent Age 2010, p. 10). Lack of social contact is a dimension of seclusion and the study will seek to alleviate this exclusion. This study will also seek to alleviate the health problems facing old people like stress and depression (Independent Age 2010).
Literature Review
Innovative IT Application for (Old generation)
IT application can be primarily used to enable old people to escape such social isolation (Findlay 2003). This is a very reasonable hypothesis and a timely research especially that the current society relies on technology for fast and cheap means of interaction with friends, family and even work (Charness et al 2007). Many people usually develop great social networks through technology advances and this supplements periodic direct contact with people of shared interests (Victor et al 2005). This proposal purports that technology provides the needed solutions to old people. It will also seek to explore the barriers to the application of IT and later provides recommendations on the best way of applying this theme in future.
Here are some ways of helping old people to continue living independently and stays active in the society.
The use of IT in medical sphere will be helpful for improving the overall quality of healthcare. Therefore, McCreadie and Tinker (2005, p. 108) emphasized the following:
The growth in the geriatric population–those who qualify for Medicare by age or disability ‑ threatens cost increases the nation can ill afford. Information Technology, which includes both computer and communications technologies, are considered to offer the ability to improve patient outcomes while restraining overall healthcare cost increases. Support from the workshop panels illustrating this potential benefit is anticipated. Optimizing the use of the technological innovations introduced by our select panelists will require modification of our payment and staff training systems. These issues will be requested for discussion among panelists and attendees.
In the light of this statement, it should be emphasized that the actual importance of IT in healthcare is explained by the increased speed of data processing, as well as improved communication between patients and medical personnel.
The theoretic concepts associated with using technologies by aging people are mainly based on the fact that sophisticated technologies are not available for persons over 65, and in order to make the adaptation simpler for them, the companies need to make the functionality and adjustments simpler. (Findlay, 2003) The other concept is based on the statement that older people become less independent, which causes the necessity to help them. While this may be regarded as aim for software and technology developers, the other side of the problem presupposes that they need more extensive help. Therefore, as it is emphasized by Brink (2007, p. 46):
One concern of aging individuals is that they tend to become less ambulatory as they age. Many elderly individuals often require assistance moving from one spot to another and currently another person must be present to assist with this. This means that a loved one or some other caregiver must be present in the home or the elderly individual may be forced to move to some sort of elder care facility.
In the light of this fact, it should be stated that the required assistance may be included into the devices and software. The access to help should be simple, and precise.
The information about the current occupations of these people will utilized as a research basis for the overall technology use study. Clear realizing of the occupations, and sphere of interest will help in understanding the way how people use communication technologies, and what is needed for the proper adaptation. Therefore, as it is stated by Cheek et. Al (2005) the occupations of the aging population are as follows:
The general occupation information is as follows:
- 25% of 65+ people are occupied. 8% of women and 7% of men
- 22% of 65-69 year olds and 3% of 85 years plus are employed. (Charness et.al. 2007)
Communication technologies, as well as similar IT products are often intended for assistance, and these are mainly used by older population. Hence, as I is stated by Sixsmith et.al. (2009, p. 234):
It is estimated that there are more that 20 000 products related to Assistive Technology, representing a market of more than 30 billion euro. These figures will be multiplied with the increase in the number of dependent people, which is one of the main consequences of the population pyramid inversion. This new social situation will further boost the demand of current products and will open the door to innovative products and services to meet new needs.
Nevertheless, regardless of the technological development of the opportunities and assistance, the actual situation is far from perfect.
Chappell (2004) claims that the key concepts that should be considered while solving the problem of access need to involve the opportunity of live support, as well as intuitively reasonable interface. Additionally, detailed video lessons should be also provided. Binstock et. al.(2006) state that thee key problem is explained by the fact that older generations are not so tough to understand the principles of using the technologies, but most of them are afraid to make something irrevocably wrong. The possible way of solving the discussed challenges will involve study of social communication, security technologies. Shopping and travelling services, as well as access to social services, reminders, and mobile communication. Hence, in accordance with the research performed by Binstock (2006), up to 30% of baby boomers are familiar with the digital technologies (see Figure 1 of the Appendix):
Ambient Assisted Living
There has been a development of a system that is known as the “Ambient Assisted Living” and it refers to the phenomenon where information technology is used to carry out personal activities on daily duties and work making the individual stay active and socially productive (McCreadie & Tinker 2005; Charness et al 2007). Essentially, the use of IT to ensure independent living among older people can be as simple as the use of an alarm or digital reminders of taking medicine and so on (Rogers & Fisk 2006). Despite technology being very simple or complex, the principle of this ambient technology (is) that technology has to serve the user.
Methodology
Method and Design
The study will be set to investigate some of the innovative means of applying IT to provide the elderly with ways of dealing with some challenges accompanying the issue of aging. The study will be descriptive and employ both qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate some ground-breaking technologies of engaging old people in community. Some literature reviews will be viewed to find out relevant existed literature that addresses the technologies being used for these purposes. This is a secondary search. Besides, a primary study on real participants who use IT for managing their lives will be conducted.
The data collection was performed by interviewing the target audience of the research. These are 4 people 65 and older living nearby. The questions were mainly associated with the quality and comfort of their life, as well as communication patterns and requirements. Interview questions are given in the Appendix part. Since the key aim of the research is to find out how the IT may be used for decreasing the loneliness level of the older generation, the interview questions are mainly intended to identify how older people use these technologies, and whether they help them to feel less lonely. (McCreadie and Tinker, 2005)
Data Collection
The researcher will interview five participants regarding their quality of life as they utilize IT for their personal daily activities and keeping contact with friends and families. The outcomes will be analyzed against the control group, which is a group of old people who do not use technology for their daily activities.
Data Analysis
For the systematic literature review, the investigator will use recursive abstractions to analyze the data collected so as to come up with the relevant summary for the proposal. The qualitative data is hence interpreted without making codes and picking relevant topics for study. The questionnaires will be checked for completeness, consistency and accuracy before leaving the location of study. The data will be stored into a computer.
Data analysis involved classification of the answers, and creating of the general outline. Therefore, older people are mainly disappointed by the fact that sometimes they are not able to cope with the devices, or adjustments of the software. The key aim is to find the central tendency, as the problems are mainly common for all older people.
Additionally, the data will be analyzed from the perspective of the literature review findings and concepts, as practical data requires theoretic background for creating the reliable research framework. Therefore, recursive abstractions of the theoretic concepts involve interpretation of the codes and topics derived from the studies. These will be applied for results gained from the interviews.
Significance of Study
In today’s society, the number of old people is increasing due to better healthcare systems and lifestyle. As such, developed nations have greater numbers of older citizens. However, this elderly population has been facing challenges of dependence, loneliness, and social isolation as most live alone (Findlay, 2003). As the IT industry is developing rapidly, societies now are becoming dependant on technology for a lot of assistance like cure of diseases, dealing with crime and achieving vitality among elderly people.
The study will contribute deeper to the use of IT to address the social challenges that the elderly face. It is purported that IT will have a positive impact on the functioning of older people in their homes thus removing the notion that they are always dependent (Sixsmith et al 2009). This technology will also help them to stay in touch or keep contact with friends and family. Old people can also participate in different community activities. This project will seek to make technology use a normal thing, reduce stigma on old people and offer social support that have previously been overlooked (Victor et al 2005). When proper use of IT is possible at home, this would be a much cheaper and secure way of caring for the old than using institutional care. This also means that there will be less medical costs as the old will be more health and in case they are on medication, they are like to adhere to it full by help of IT (reminders etc).
Findings
The main difficulty is to find the necessary functions, or solve the problem that is not associated with the communication, but prevents effective use of the software or device. Hence, some of the interviewers are able to send e-mails, and use Skype, however, they are not able to configure the adjustments of the headset, or solve simple problems associated with internet access.
The negative impact of aging is mainly linked with the sense of loneliness and the approaching end. The interview helped to reveal the key problems of self perception that cause all the other challenges for older people. These are:
- The need to stay engaged and active, as well as have the sense of staying demanded
- The necessity to stay connected. This also involves the need to be in the stream of events and news
- The need to stay independent
- The sense of aging (Intel Corporation, 2008)
Considering the importance of these aspects for the entire study, it should be emphasized that software and technology development generally requires proper assessment of this audience, for making devices and services more comfortable for them. Since up to 30% of baby boomers are familiar with the digital technologies, developers have already made great contribution for making technologies more available. This means that older people may use communication technologies for keeping in touch with their friends, children, and other relatives. Additionally, they may be used for using various social and commercial services, and solving common problems associated with healthcare, benefits, allowances and so on. (Rogers and Fisk, 2006)
Conclusion
With many people in developed nations living longer, the number of people above age 65 has skyrocketed. A considerable number are even aged 85 and above. The grand challenge the world has to face is to ensure that those old generations will live healthier and stay satisfied. IT experts are working hard to ensure that the aging population of today and the future can protract their vitality. This proposal suggests ways of helping the old people to live independently as much as possible and enable them stay involved in the community and at work. The study also will seek to explore the diverse needs of old people and offers ways of helping care givers to provide better care. For old people, small issues like poor eyesight and short-term memory lapses can rapidly exacerbate to be big problems like loss of home and total dependence on others. A stay at nursing home or adapting a whole system of assisted living is very expensive but this paper seeks to offer simple, cheap, innovative and sustainable IT technologies to help old people remain independent an making sure their homes assist and not hamper them. The use of IT will transform homes into ‘supplement minds’ for the seniors and it would bridge the gap that exists between the cognitive needs and the capabilities of the old.
Considering the fact that today’s society is impossible without technologies and communication, older people should not be left outside the technology development stream. In fact, the actual importance of communication can not be overestimated, as the need for communication and sense of staying in demand is one of the most important for older generation. Communication technologies can offer a technological way of satisfying these needs. Additionally, technologies will make older people more active, and let them stay in the course of the latest events. In accordance with numerous researches, this aspect may be regarded as one of the most important for making older people stay energetic and feel better.
References
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