Not everyone can keep up with the digitization of society equally easily. Especially for a large number of elderly people it can be quite difficult to keep up with the new developments. Fortunately, as an organization you can support them in this.
The world is becoming increasingly digital. We call this development digitalization. For many people it is difficult to keep up with this process. This group also includes many elderly people. It is difficult for them to continue to arrange matters independently, now that more and more things can not only be done online, but also have to be done online.
About 2.5 million Dutch people have insufficient basic digital skills. This means that they have a lot of trouble using digital tools. Sending an e-mail, looking up information or ordering something from a webshop: for many people this is now fairly self-evident, but this is certainly not true for everyone.
For many older people, all the rapid developments are particularly difficult. Research showed that slightly more than half of the elderly do not feel sufficiently digitally proficient. This can have several reasons.
Older people did not grow up with smartphones, for example, but they are often expected to be able to use them. In addition, it is also a lot harder for many people later in life to learn many new things. People are also more likely to develop various types of disabilities later in life, which can also make using digital tools more difficult.
Because more and more things have to be done digitally, this also affects the independence of people who have difficulty with this. Whereas before someone could easily go to the bank himself, now someone is expected to arrange banking matters online.
Some older people are afraid of making mistakes when dealing with digital things. They are not used to it and sometimes encounter unfamiliar concepts or terms, so they are not sure if they are doing things right.
Websites sometimes contain a lot of information. This can be quite difficult for many people, especially if the structure of the website is not very clear. It is then sometimes difficult to find the right information.
Some seniors struggle with the fact that everything is digital because they find it impersonal. They prefer to speak to someone by phone or visit an office.
As people age, they are also more likely to develop various types of disabilities. This can cause various problems when using websites.
Not everyone has the fastest and newest phone or laptop. Of course, this does not only apply to older people. This does sometimes cause problems: for example, some apps don't work (anymore) on old devices.
Of course, digitization also brings many opportunities. This certainly applies to the elderly as well. Especially if someone is no longer so mobile, for example, it can be very nice to video call family. Or to be able to order something instead of having to go to a store.
That is why it is important as an organization to make your digital resources as user-friendly and accessible as possible. For example, you can organize workshops to help older people or provide support on an individual level.
It is also important to take into account the digital accessibility of your websites and apps.
How do you do this? That's where the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) help. If your website meets all the success criteria, then your website is very accessible to everyone, including the elderly.
When websites and apps have a clear and logical structure, it is easier to find certain information quickly. For example, also remember that menus do not differ between different pages. A search function can also help.
It is important that text and other elements have sufficient contrast so that they are easily visible. This helps people who are low vision or color blind.
Vision often deteriorates as a person ages. It is then nice to be able to zoom in or enlarge the text. However, it is important that no information or functions are lost.
Subtitles help a lot of people, but especially many elderly people, whose hearing is not always good anymore.
Especially as more and more processes run digitally, it is important that users are properly guided through these processes. Clear error messages can help with this. That way someone knows exactly what is going wrong and how they can fix it.
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