TENDER REQUEST – DIGITAL LITERACY: OLDER MEN IN IRELAND
OVERVIEW
AGE ACTION
Age Action is Ireland’s leading advocacy organisation for older
people. Age Action works to ensure that older people’s voices are
heard at the highest level of Government and that the lived experience
of older people informs policy responses to their needs. Age Action
supports and advocates for equality for all older people, underpinned
by Human Rights. Equality requires recognition of the diversity of
identity and situation among older people and measures to address
accumulated disadvantage. In addressing ageing, our work includes a
concern to influence perspectives on and responses to ageing. This
pursuit of equality and human rights is underpinned by our work to
promote ageing in place, life‐long learning, and health and
wellbeing for older people, empowering them to live as active
citizens.
OUR VALUES
Our work is driven by an organisation that lives out its values of
dignity, participation, diversity, social justice, and
professionalism. Please familiarise yourself with the attached VALUES
STATEMENT.
BACKGROUND
Digital literacy levels for older people in Ireland are far below
other European countries. The proportion of adults not using the
internet includes one in five ( *%) people aged
* and more than half (**Apply on the
website**%) of people aged * or older. This
implies that approximately *,**Apply on the
website**, or three in ten older people are not using the internet.
Seven in ten ( *%) of all older persons are
using the internet, but nearly half ( *.2%) of
those older internet users have ‘below basic’ digital skills. That
is, nearly half of older internet users do not have the skills to
confidently and safely do so, especially for complex online processes
or transactions.
Six in ten ( *%) of adults aged **Apply on the
website** or older are ‘digitally excluded’ either because they
are not using the internet or have ‘below basic’ digital skills.
In * Age Action conducted a piece of research
into the digital needs of older men living in rural Ireland. We
reviewed available evidence and five common themes were found:
* the use of technology for connection
* experiences of adapting to technology
* turning to others for support
* the importance of in-person communication
* the perception of generational/digital divides
We used focus groups to understand what older men had to say about
their experiences of technology. Three main themes were found:
* the paradox of support (Give a man a fish, feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish, feed him for life!)
* the emotional experience
* adapting to a digital world
We conducted a stakeholder mapping exercise which provided us with
four clear recommendations.
* applying inclusive and participatory co-design methodologies for
any use of technology
* acceptance and respect for non-adoption of technology
* sustainable models of education and peer-to-peer support systems
that build upon networks presently in place
* further research and evaluation on what is, and is not working You
can read more about the barriers to using digital technology for
social connection in our report 'A Qualitative Study of Older Men’s
Experiences with Digital Technology in Rural Ireland' - click to read
and download this report
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