IFA 11th Global Conference Prague Analog and Digital world’s collide Sue Hendy COTA & Kate Crawshaw Ellis Jones

• Australia is ageist

• Age and capacity linked in thinking

• Older people experience age discrimination in many ways

• Manifests in all facets of life :

education

health services

employment

public attitude

Background

• COTA provides an Information Service

• Interested in usage and perceptions

• Used Seniors Festival as opportunity

• Paper based and on line survey

• 174 Victorians responded

• 1.4m Victorians over the age of 55

• Assumption older people not online

Main activities on line

• Two thirds over age 85 perform online banking

• over 20% of 75-84 use social media interacting around hobbies

• 37% 65-74 mostly social media

Concerns about going online

• Age has no/little impact about going online

• 90% of 65-84 felt the internet relevant

• Less 20% 85 felt text was too hard to read

Who do you interact with?

• Multiple stakeholders

• Family & friends most prevalent on social media

• 50% 65-74 engage with organisations on social media

• 22.9% interact with product & service related pages

Like most about access to Internet

• 25% 75-84 improved social life on & off line

• 50% made it easier to conduct business, paying bills & buying products

• 100% 85 had better access to information

Access to Internet makes you feel?

• 51.2% 75-84 felt more included

• 7.3% feeling stressed

• 1.3% felt isolated

• 83% felt more informed

• 33% felt empowered

Outcomes •Shows increasing usage •Not connected issues remain Next steps •Redo annually •Expand to Australia wide •Add more questions