For many of us, it seems like only yesterday that we faced the fears of a Y2K society. What would happen when all the ones and zeroes of our devices flipped over into a new century? Would our worst fears be realized? Would we find ourselves catapulted into a world where computers crashed and all data that comprised our lives vanished forever?
Nothing so drastic happened, but those of us who came of age without the current ease of on-demand entertainment and medical/financial record keeping felt left behind, with only our common sense and pre-internet survival instincts to bridge the increasingly widening gap between managing in a digital world and being managed by it. In 2014, the overall Internet adoption rate in the United States was 87%, while the adoption rate for people over 65 years old was only 57% (Pew Research Center, 2014). Early discussions on the digital divide focused on whether individuals had access to computers and the Internet. Overcoming this barrier, sometimes known as the first-level digital divide, that of having technology available to all sectors of society, has been a long-standing concern (Chinn & Fairlie, 2006; Hsieh, Rai, & Keil, 2008; Van Dijk & Hacker, 2003).
On May, 17 2022, Boston’s Mayor Michelle Wu and the Age Strong Commission announced the recipients of its Creating Community and Reducing Social Isolation grant, a new City program designed to provide funding to nonprofit community organizations to create new or expand current programs inviting older adults to engage more for better physical and mental health. The city awarded $360,000 to 16 nonprofit community organizations. “Connecting our older residents with more opportunities to build community is crucial to our City’s recovery,” Mayor Wu noted. “It’s clear that the ongoing pandemic has only exacerbated the challenges that our older adults face as they try to stay engaged and connected. These investments will help build community for older adults and support our local organizations as they work to expand and build opportunities for our older adults to engage.”
Comcast announced an investment of more than $500,000 in grants to 17 organizations to support digital access and adoption for residents across the Greater Boston region. Among the local recipients selected were Tech Goes Home, Central Boston Elder Services, and One Bead. Funds were also allocated to create digital navigators, individuals affiliated with trusted community organizations who are trained to help people access the Internet, use devices and acquire digital skills. Once their training is complete, these digital navigators will educate community members in a wide range of digital awareness and literacy skills. Additionally, they would help residents learn about the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides eligible low-income households with a credit of up to $30 per month toward their Internet and/or mobile service.
Emily K. Shea, Commissioner of Boston’s Age Strong Commission, City of Boston, spoke with Sampan about connecting the elderly with digital technology.
SAMPAN: What are the most common obstacles you’re seeing when it comes to helping the people you serve transcend the digital divide?
SHEA: The most common obstacles that we see are access issues. In order for someone to have full access and be able to successfully bridge the digital divide, you need access to devices, internet and training.
SAMPAN: There was a push from the major Internet Service Providers as the COVID-19 lockdown started to make connection more accessible in areas of Boston that have not been well served. Has there been a comparable push to helping elderly consumers more clearly and efficiently acquire the skills needed to be active participants in our national and international digital correspondence with each other?
SHEA: Yes, there are a number of different stakeholders working to help older adults gain better access to technology, but more work is always needed. During the pandemic, the City of Boston distributed tablets with internet access to partner organizations working with older adults. We also gave out over $300,000 in digital equity grants in 2021 to organizations serving older adults who were helping with digital access (providing devices, internet access or training). In addition we were able to use some of our Older American Act funding (both our regular funding and one time ARPA funding) to support digital access for older adults and caregivers. Both the Age Strong Commission and our partners are helping older adults apply for the new federal Affordable Connectivity Program to get help paying for digital access. And finally, the City has used ARPA funds for digital equity and access by supporting partners like Tech Goes Home.
SAMPAN: Most medical practices, such as Mass General Brigham, communicate primarily through portals called Patient Gateways. They require usernames and passwords, a case sensitive series of letters and numbers that seem to require changing each time a patient logs in. This can be even more frustrating for an elderly patient trying to relay something only to face yet another digital barrier. Are you finding resistance from the medical community when it comes to making this efficient approach even more user friendly for the elderly?
SHEA: It is important for all hospitals to provide support, training, and guidance with medical communication to their patients if they use something like a Patient Gateway. And we would also recommend having easily accessible alternatives for patients who do not have the ability to access technology (due to knowledge, funding, training, ect).
SAMPAN: Are you finding comparable obstacles with financial institutions or even something as simple as the supermarket in how well they accommodate the special communicative needs of the elderly?
SHEA: The same applies for financial institutions – there needs to be assistance available and an easily accessible alternative for people who cannot access technology.
SAMPAN: Are there any corporate or geographic cultures that could serve as role models for us when it comes to helping the elderly transcend the obstacles and prosper with digital technology?
SHEA: I’m not sure that I can comment on this. But there are a number of organizations helping to lead the way for support for older adults around technology. Here in Boston we have Tech Goes Home and Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly who do ongoing classes. Other partners like Boston Senior Home Care and Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center also have helped caregivers and older adults access technology. On a National level, AARP and OATS through Senior Planet are promoting older adult technology access.
Ruth Moy, Executive Director of The Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center, reflected on the disconnection elderly feel towards technology. “Technology can be very difficult for elderly because they have never used it before, some of them don’t even try, and there are some people who are good with it. Most of them seem to have a phone, I understand some people talking to each other using WeChat… We have some grant money…to teach elderly how to use technology, but it is only a small number of people… There are other services as well. When we provide services, we make sure they are safe and well at home. Even though we don’t see them all the time, we still stay in contact.”
SAMPAN: “How can the community help the elderly to engage more?”
MOY: “There are many elderly and they are all different. Some are educated, some of them using the technology right along. Some elderly would like to learn more, use their computer more, but they can’t unless they are surrounded by people at the office or live with someone who can help. It’s very frustrating if there is no one to ask… I think the elderly might learn a lot from TV, but some of them don’t want to get involved with new technology. The elderly can sign up for services at our center.
Is Boston doing enough for seniors who have no one to help them learn how to turn on their cellphones or order food from the market when they can’t go out? Consider Margaret. She is 80 yrs. old and living alone in Roslindale. She spoke to me with pride of her two sons, both successful lawyers. Then, she quickly got teary-eyed admitting that she did not know how to use her cellphone in order to have Facetime meetings with them. She tells them not to worry about her but she tells me that she is worried about herself. She wants to learn to order food from the supermarket so she can cook when it’s too cold to go out. “No one wants to teach me,” she said. “The supermarket lady told me that was not her job.” She asked if I could teach her.
