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Technology & Internet Use by Baby Boomers & Beyond

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Canadians spent 43% of their time staring at screens, and 12 billion devices were connected to the Internet (1).

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In 2013, there was growth of smartphone usage in Canada – 47% own one now, up from 34% in 2012 (3).

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In a study, only 7% of the seniors said they used their device to connect to the internet (versus 54% of the other respondents) (7).

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…and only 2% have tried social networking on their smartphone (compared to about 1/3 of the younger smartphone users) (7).

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Seniors must realize that everyone now expects more from technology and less from one another (8).

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Many seniors are showing more positive attitudes towards the Internet than negative ones (5).

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Bridging the digital divide can be challenging… the young must learn to guide the old.

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“The differences between generations, concerning elements such as values, ways of thinking, and lifestyles, were considered to contribute to the digital divide” (10).

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“…It’s a different mentality from ours… our way of thinking is methodical, rational and rigorous… the young have a digital mind. This is like two worlds confronting each other… we have to cope with it” (10). - Female, 83 years

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Tailored training is considered as the best way to bridge the gap of the digital divide (10).

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“I’d like to have a teacher who comes to my home and who explains to me with good vocabulary… once a month or a week… who can solve my problems. By doing this, I think that I could progress well” (10). . - Female, 88 years

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“Young people are in a position of superiority in knowledge. The older generations look for support to help them find their way in the changing digital world” (4).

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“He tries. It was a proud moment when I watched him send his first text. It really was like teaching a child to read or tie his shoes. You resist the urge to just do it for them. You say things like “sound it out” and “what does the bunny do?” (4).

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Seniors must be Integrated it today’s digital society

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40% of Older Seniors Feel Isolated…a consequence of rapidly changing technology (9).

Many feel alone because they aren’t using the same methods of communication as everyone else (9).

Staying in Touch Easier and More Often“In my experience, an email with photos of the grandkids can provide significant social value to older seniors living on their own” (9).

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The Communications Divide still exits today… though we are inching towards closing it (9).

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“There is an assumption that people know that in order to visit a website, you open something called “Safari”, or if you want to start a video chat, you click on “Skype” or what each tiny icon means…? This can be very confusing to new users” (9).

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According to researchers, social influence and communication with others are the primary reason that seniors go online (10).

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Digital education increases confidence and decreases digital anxiety (6).

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One study by the journal of medical research shows that encouraging older adults to begin using the Internet to communicate with others could help to enhance social contact and decrease loneliness (2).

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We must work together to ensure that seniors have the access, knowledge and confidence to use the web on their own.

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Works Cited (MLA) (1)Anderssen, Erin. "Digital Overload: How We Are Seduced by Distraction." Queen's University Proxy Service. Web. 10 June 2015.

<http:/www.theglobeandmail.com.proxy.queensu.ca/life/relationships/digital-overload-how- we-are-seduced-by-distraction/article17725778/?page=all>.

(2)Cotten, Shelia, William Anderson, and Brandi McCullough. "Impact of Internet Use on Loneliness and Contact with Others Among Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Analysis." Journal of Medical Internet Research. Gunther Eysenbach. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3636305/>.

(3)Eichler, Leah. "Sorry to Be Rude, but My Smartphone Needs My Attention." Queen's University Proxy Service. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com.proxy.queensu.ca/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/life-at-work/sorry-to-be-rude-but-my-phone-needs-me/article14706158/>.

(4)Flanagan, Kerri. "Teaching My 60- Year Old Father How to Text." Queen's University Proxy Service. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://www.theglobeandmail.com.proxy.queensu.ca/life/facts-and-arguments/teaching-my-60-year-old-father-how-to-text/article15982827/>.

(5)Mitzner, Tracy, Julie Boron, Cara Fausset, Anne Adams, Neil Charness, Sara Czaja, Katinka Dijkstra, Arthur Fisk, Wendy Rogers, and Joseph Sharit. "Older Adults Talk Technology: Technology Usage and Attitudes." Computers in Human Behavior. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 10 June 2015.<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956433/>.

(6)Reardon, Christina. "Tech-Savvy Older Adults - Staying Connected, Challenging Stereotypes." Social Work Today. Web. 11 June 2015. <http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/111312p10.shtml>

(7)"Seniors' Smartphone Usage Low among Canadians - Technology & Science - CBC News." CBCnews. Ed. The Press. CBC/Radio Canada, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/seniors-smartphone-usage-low-among-canadians-1.2504945>.Sharman, Paul. "A Guide to Getting Seniors Online." Claris Companion. 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://

www.clariscompanion.com/blog-guide-to-seniors-online/>.(8)Turkle, Sherry. ”The flight from conversation." Academic One File. Web. 10 June 2015.

http://go.galegroup.com.proxy.queensu.ca/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA287213303&v=2.1&u=queensulaw&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&asid=9e22389507adacd60cce5aabfd6d7991%3E.&authCount=1(9)Sharman, Paul. "A Guide to Getting Seniors Online." Claris Companion. 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 10 June 2015.

<http://www.clariscompanion.com/blog-guide-to-seniors-online/>.(10)Wu, Ya-Huei, Souad Damnee, Helene Kerherve, Caitlin Ware, and Anne-Sophie Rigaud. "Bridging the Digital Divide in Older Adults: A Study

from an Initiative to Inform Older Adults about New Technologies." Queen's University Proxy Service. Web. 10 June 2015. <http://www- ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.queensu.ca/pmc/articles/PMC4296914/>.