Many older people are not online so are a priority group for many digital inclusion projects

The statistics
4.2 million people age 55+ have never been online
94% of people who have never been online are aged 55+
Less than 10% of the total UK population is over 75
However 47% of people who have never used the internet in the UK are over 75

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• Many older people lack awareness of the benefits of being online
• When asked what would prompt older people to go online, 74% of people over the age of 65 responded ‘nothing’.
• Older people can be fearful of not being safe online, including being scammed
• Distrust and lack of interest by older people is often a major barrier
• Bereavement can mean that one partner is left without digital skills
• Lack of infrastructure (e.g. not having devices, or no broadband connection)
• Physical barriers – mobility & dexterity
• Isolation – reaching out to older people who are housebound and providing them with support is resource intensive
• Older people who are socially isolated are more likely not to be online
• Self-perception of cognitive ability can reduce willingness/confidence to learn new digital skills
• Older people who had jobs that did not use digital skills are more likely to lack the confidence to develop new skills

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Here’s a great video by Age UK Leeds on their digital drop-in sessions for older people to teach them Essential Digital Skills. As the older people say themselves, it is life-enhancing!

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Partnership working
– engage with and build strong partner relationships with local organisations as a first priority – this will help referrals and provision of support
– link to other services especially befriending services, bereavement support services and groups offering social sessions (such as local lunch clubs)
– embed digital skills support into existing services or activities
– engage with and build relationships with learners’ spouse/family, as the family bond can be a motivational tool 

Co-design service with older people
– involve older people in shaping the design of digital services and learning sessions
– publicise the benefits of learning new skills and share stories of successes of older people
– continue to gather feedback from older people throughout the project and make changes if needed

Tailor support: set up projects to provide learning support which
– is flexible in the delivery of sessions (a mix of 1:1 & group sessions) 
– use volunteers (especially older people) to support peer to peer learning and add capacity to the project
– offers drop-ins to maintain learning and answer specific queries 
– provides ongoing support and repetition of learning 
– is at a pace which works for the individual learner 
– tracks learning so as to build relevant digital skills 
– focuses on the interests of the individual such as a hobby, or family history, or a specific need that they have (e.g. to order prescriptions online) 

Consider equipment
– provide equipment loans (e.g. Tablet loan scheme with MiFi)  
– offer support to older people about how to choose devices and connectivity packages 

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Resources

• AbilityNet – free resources to aid digital accessibility for people with various impairments and illnesses
• Age UK – technology guides for older people Digital Unite Technology Guides – hundreds of “how to” guides on various digital topics
• Digital Champions Network – Digital Unite’s unique training and support community for aspiring and experienced Digital Champions
• Doing digital inclusion with older people – handbook by Good Things Foundation
• Gameplay for Inspiring Digital Adoption (GIRDA) – European programme using social games as a gentle introduction to address the reluctance amongst many older people to engage with digital products
• How to choose a computer for your accessibility needs – guidelines from Ability Net
• How to set up an inter-generational digital inclusion project – handbook by Age UK
• How to set up digital inclusion project in GP Surgeries– handbook by Age UK
• Learn My Way – free digital courses for learners and tutors
• Online Centre Network – how to guides to reach and support older people RNIB technology resource hub – tips on accessible tech & resources to help you deliver digital support sessions for people with visual impairments
• Sight Advice FAQs – guides & resources to support the needs of people with visual impairments Useful products & technology for staying independent – information from Alzheimer Scotland
• Your guide to helping older people use the internet – toolkit by Good Things Foundation and Centre for Aging Better

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Research, reports and publications

• Blog post about digital champions volunteering for Age UK South Lakeland and their creative “hooks” used to encourage older people to get online
• Blog post by Age UK on why older people should get online
• Blog post by Age UK on the successes and challenges of running a digital inclusion programme with older people
• Video of a digital drop-in centre run by Age UK Leeds showing how they’re helping older people get online
• Working with older people by Age UK and Centre for Ageing Better – presentation from our event about making digital accessible for everyone
• Various research papers and publications by Good Things Foundation
• Age UK Digital Inclusion evidence review 2018
• Age UK Digital Inclusion evidence review 2013
• The digital age: new approaches to supporting people in later life get online – research report by the Centre for Aging Better
• I am connected: new approaches to supporting people in later life online – research report by Good Things Foundation and the Centre for Aging Better
• Good Things Foundation, Designing digital skills interventions for older people

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Many thanks to our partners Age UK and Centre for Ageing Better who contributed to developing the learning on this topic