Abstract
It has been recognised for some time that while innovations in technology are advancing rapidly, the elderly are increasingly unable to keep up. In particular, those in the oldest-old (people 80 years and over) age-group, many of whom have not been exposed to technology in their home or working lives, are at a disadvantage as daily tasks are increasingly performed electronically. For example, service providers and banks prefer to send bills electronically rather than by the postal service and encourage customers to pay in the same way. There have been attempts to assist older people with training courses aimed at their level of expertise, with varying degrees of success. While these may help the young-old, as people age they become less mobile, and less able to attend such courses. A number of online communities are also specifically targeted at the aged to provide information and support. This paper investigates the training courses and online communities which assist the oldest-old, examining whether these are useful for those in the age group and if not, what might be the alternatives. If we ignore this oldest generation they risk being increasingly isolated.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | 13th National Conference of Emerging Researchers in Ageing - Adelaide 2014 |
Subtitle of host publication | Program & Proceedings |
Place of Publication | Victoria Square, Adelaide, South Australia |
Publisher | Flinders University, Adelaide |
Pages | 103-105 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Event | 13th National Conference of Emerging Researchers in Ageing - Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia Duration: 24 Nov 2014 → 25 Nov 2014 http://www.era.edu.au/ERA+2014 |
Conference
Conference | 13th National Conference of Emerging Researchers in Ageing |
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Country/Territory | Australia |
City | Adelaide |
Period | 24/11/14 → 25/11/14 |
Internet address |