Keeping silver surfers on the crest of a wave – older people's ICT learning and support needs

There is recognition that digital ICTs have the potential to support older people to live independently, to “age well”, to promote social inclusion and to facilitate access to commercial and government services. Research conducted by the Sus‐IT project under the “New Dynamics of Ageing” Programme has focused on how to help older ICT users to remain digitally engaged given the barriers that they can face and which can quickly erode their confidence or capability. Access to appropriate learning and support resources is a key issue for sustaining older ICT users. The aim of this paper is to investigate older people's ICT learning and support needs.

Older people themselves have been central to the research; more than 1,000 older people have participated in this research through open workshops, established formal and informal panels and groups across the UK, and through contacts with a number of organisations working with older people. Key research users (e.g. organisations representing older people and those providing services and products to be used by older people) have also collaborated in the research in a variety of roles.

Findings show that older people value very highly the benefits and independence that computer use gives them, and they are often exceptionally tenacious in trying to remain digitally connected – persisting in the face of many obstacles, and often without awareness or use of existing aids to accessibility. If disengagement begins, it is usually a gradual process, rather than a single event, and likely to result from a combination of factors – changes in physical and cognitive abilities, in support, in technology and in personal circumstances. The availability of help and support emerges as a factor of paramount importance to sustaining digital connection.

The conceptual model of the risks of sustaining digital engagement of older people arising from the research has significant implications for both policy and practice – for instance, in relation to “digital by default”. A user‐generated strategy for provision of sustainable, community‐based ICT learning and support for older people is a key output from Sus‐IT.

The issues surrounding sustaining digital inclusion in older age are multi‐faceted and complex – and addressing these will have significant benefits not only for older people but also for the economy and society.