The
evolution of technology has benefit us in many aspects such as the aspect
of education, communication and also in
journalism (all these are actually discuss a lot in previous posts). However,
have you guys ever thought of what our senior citizens have benefit from the
Internet? Does the society concern about their adaptability on Internet? Are they
able to catch up with Internet because they are not born in the era of Internet
like the generation Y? Are they the one that has been marginalized by the
society?
Today,
we are going to talk about senior citizens and new technology.
In
this era of new technology, age should not be a limiting factor in terms of
learning new knowledge. Senior citizens are undergoing the process of adjustment
to fit in the world of new technology. However, some researchers suggested that
new technology does not bring benefit to the senior citizens and most of the
elderly people are not able to adapt well to the fast-develop technology. Rodrigues,
Carreira and Goncalves (2014) argued that senior citizens show resistance in
adopting technology, making the elderly people deprived from the benefits that
technology offers. As human beings grow older, they suffer a decline in
abilities such as vision, hearing, mobility and cognition (Diaz-Bossini &
Moreno, 2014). This lead them to benefit less in new technology and as a
result, they are not able to adapt well in the world of Internet. Wong (2011)
also mentioned that senior citizens undergo a decline in physical, motor,
cognitive and memory abilities. The actual reason is that senior citizens face
difficulties in learning new things. Moreover, there are other reason which is that
mobile devices were not properly designed for them and they felt “handicap”
when using technology devices. Physical difficulties, psychological
difficulties and insufficient skills are the problems that senior citizens face
when are introduced to new technology.
Funny cartoon to show the experience of senior citizens in using new technology.
However,
if senior citizens are able to get rid all the difficulties. Their life will be
changed. Hasim and Salman (2009)
added that if the elderly people have positive perception and recognition
towards new technology, they are more likely to adapt well to the Internet. Nistor
(2014) also mentioned that learning throughout life and access to the digital
world are able to help senior citizens to keep in touch with the family members
and younger generations.
Elderly people will enjoy using new technology when they have sufficient skills in using it.
So,
friends, what do you think about the new technology adaptability of senior
citizens? Are your grandparents and parents the active users of new technology
too? What do they feel when they are introduced to new technology?
Reference
Diaz-Bossini, J. M., & Moreno,
L. (2014). Accessibility to mobile
interfaces for older people. Procedia
Computer Science, 27, 57 – 66.
Hasim,
M. S., & Salman, A. (2010). Factors affecting sustainability of internet
usage among youth. The
Electronic Library, 28, 300-313.
Nistor, G. (2014). New educational
strategies regarding quality of life fo elderly people. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 142, 487-492.
Rodrigues, E.,
Carreira, M., & Goncalves, D. (2014). Developing a multimodal interface for
the elderly. Procedia Computer Science 27,
359 – 368.
Wong, C. Y. (2011). Exploring the relationship between mobile
phone and senior citizens: a malaysian perspective. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction (IJHCI), 2(2),
65-77.
It is unavoidable for the evolution of technology as time goes by. Thus, all we can do is to adapt and learn. As for my mom, she did the same. At first, she was reluctant to use latest gadgets as she was illiterate. She felt that she was too old for technology and too slow to learn. However, she was a lot cooler now and much addicted to Facebook than I am! It was great to see her having fun with her ipad and iphone everywhere she goes, watching online movies, checking Facebook, uploading photos of her home cooked food, chatting with her family and friends, reading news and playing games. Instead of calling each other, we tend to communicate more in Facebook, Wechat and Skype. She once told me that she felt happy for being one of everyone. Yes, don't get me wrong. My mom is a senior citizen. And she's delighted adapting with technology. Senior citizen could make better use of technology than youngsters. They do not get addicted nor phubbing, but making full good use of it instead just to aid and entertain their days. There's no age limit for learning, and it goes the same for technology.
ReplyDeleteyea, agreed with what tammy had said. it is something that could not be avoided with the emergence of new technology. hence, adaptation of people in the society can be practiced through the learning process of using the latest gadgets. to be honest, both my parents are now one of the part of elders that are using the latest mobile devices. at the same time, they are kind of actively using the social media through gadgets to get themselves updated on how am i doing over here in sarawak since i'm studying 'abroad'. they are still learning, but i believed that the age wouldn't be a problem for the elders to learn to use the devices; and they would be very happy if they could be one of everyone of us that nowadays very actively using social media to communicate.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! Ever since I thought my mum ( the only elderly people I can think of XD) how to play games and watching movie from smartphone and laptop, her life changed, my life changed too!
ReplyDeleteShe got more her private time with gadgets, while I got mine! Not to say I am not appreciate the time with family, but that do helps to create some private space for each of us.
Besides, with her new smartphone, she an now video call me either through social apps or FaceTime, it is very convenient for long distance separated students like us.
Distance is no longer a barrier to communicate with family, and through learning new technology, elderly people could understand more about youngster nowadays! Involvement is always the best solution towards intimacy.
I agree with you all that new technology have their advantage and disadvantage for our life. I also faced this situations, when I was with my parents they are all busy with their gadgets even I m with them so I fell so sad, lonely and less appreciate. But then, when I am studying and far from them, this new technology help to feel very close with them even for the reality there a very long distance between us.
ReplyDeleteFrankly speak, it is a bit shock to me when I see elderly in gadgets. This statement is made not based on any prejudice as most of the elderly around me is behaving resistant towards changes around them. They hardly receive changes as they are already in their old age and not as adaptive as they were.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as more time is given to them, they seem able to accept the changes happened, just that, they require more time to accept the change.
I strongly encourage my family member especially my mother and father use of mobile application such as WhatsApp to keep in touch with us. I think it can enhance our relationship with parents and siblings. When we use WhatsApp to contact with family, it can bring us convenient and also save money and time. For example, now we are studying in Sarawak, we may not to meet and talk face to face every day. By using WhatsApp, we can always chat with family since people live in technology era. People spend more time on their mobile phone rather communicate with people face to face. Unfortunately, my parents are not able adapt well to the fast-develop technology. This is because as human beings grow elder, my parents suffer a decline in abilities such as vision, hearing, memory. Even though they have their own smart phone but they are not dare to use it. What I had taught them, they will forget in the next second. Furthermore, my father has a serious hearing problem so he have a phobia to play with his mobile phone.
ReplyDeleteSaya sangat menyokong dan menggalakkan ibu bapa saya untuk menggunakan gadjet untuk mereka lebih faham mengenai dunia dan teknologi terkini. Dengan adanya telefon pintar ini, saya dan keluarga lebih mudah untuk berkomunikasi walaupun masing-masing berjauhan. Selain itu, ibu bapa dan keluarga yang lain akan lebih terbuka dengan media baru ini walaupun mereka sudah diusia yang begitu tua tetapi mereka tidak ketinggalan dengan teknologi masa kini. Saya sangat bersetuju jika golongan tua ini diajar dan didedahkan dengan teknologi yang ada walaupun mereka lambat untuk mempelajarinya.
ReplyDelete