Better Internet Training, Access for Older Adults Advocated
Factors including cost, lack of digital literacy and access are preventing older Americans from getting online, panelists said at a conference by Project GOAL (Get Older Adults online) Thursday. The FCC is actively working on implementation of the National Broadband Plan, said John Horrigan, the agency’s consumer research director.
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Main reasons for non-adoption for senior citizens are cost, lack of digital literacy and relevance, a recent FCC survey has found, said Horrigan. Comprehensive approaches are needed to address non-adoption for senior citizens, he said, saying solutions should be driven at local and community level. The National Broadband Plan is well-aimed at non-adoption problems, he said. The plan has hundreds of recommendations and the FCC is moving aggressively to implement the ones it can, he said. The plan also includes recommendations for other agencies, which require them taking initiatives, he said. Mohit Kaushal, digital healthcare director at the FCC agreed, saying the commission is working closely with agencies like the Food and Drug Administration on health IT issues.
The generation gap that exists when it comes to using online services has been persistent, despite a rise in broadband adoption, said Richard Adler, principal of research and consulting firm People and Technology. He urged making technology easier to use and offering friendly support for older adults. Providing “differential invitation” is also important, he said. “We need to get the message to older adults: Technology isn’t just for young people,” he said. It’s also about community, he said, urging building online communities for older adults. Broadband helps older Americans stay informed, connected, stay well, independent and engaged, he said.
Older adults, many of whom suffer chronic disease, could be the biggest beneficiary of broadband-enabled health IT technologies, said Bill Paschall, director of healthcare applications at AT&T. Broadband at home is a central part of better chronic disease management, he said. Yet the current reimbursement system is a main hurdle, he said. Creating incentives for adoption of e-care technologies and modernizing health IT regulations are key, Kaushal said. That means expanding reimbursement for e-care under the current fee-for-service model where outcomes are proven is needed, he said.
Mary Madden, a senior research specialist with Pew Internet Trust and American Life Project, urged encouraging more use of social networking tools for older adults. Social networking sites are important for older Americans, helping them reunite with people from the past, reach out and get support, breach generational gaps and engage in more social activities, she said. Building infrastructure is critical, but encouraging meaningful use is equally important, she said.
Online safety and privacy are critical to bringing more older adults online, said Robert Stoddard of the NCTA. The cable industry seeks to overcome adoption barriers, make Internet access more attractive to families, enable access to a wider range of content and improve the concepts of digital literacy and digital citizenship, he said.