Fulfilling a daily ritual, my ninety-seven year old Great Aunt called me two weeks ago to see how my day was at work and how the family was doing. Aunt Ruth is not your typical nonagenarian. She’s incredibly self-sufficient at home with the assistance of a caregiver, reads the Globe and Mail front to back each day and still makes time to volunteer for Na’amat Canada — a registered charitable organization she joined 70 years ago and led as national president from 1969–72. The last surviving member of my Grandmother’s generation, those who meet Ruth for the first time are impressed by her sharp mind, wit and vibrant personality.

We were taking about my son Bryce who had just turned 6 months old. As a first time parent, I’ve admired the resiliency and perseverance demonstrated by my wife and truly been humbled by the experience. Together we are solving never before seen challenges, trying to establish a new sense of normal (if it even exists) and longing for more hours in a day. Between the appointments, disciplined nap schedules and feedings, how and who we choose to spend the little guy’s precious wakeful time has become a challenging exercise. Sadly, it’s near impossible for Bryce’s many aunts, uncles and cousins to get to see him as frequently as they would like.

But because family life is important to us; we address this reality by sharing Bryce’s many developmental milestones and moments through technologies such as SMS, FaceTime, email, and cloud photo sharing. While referring to a recent picture of Bryce sent out to our family network with my Aunt, it dawned on me that my wife and I had made a huge oversight. Not every one of our family members had access to an internet connected device. At ninety-seven, Aunt Ruth had heard lots about computers and email but never had the pleasure of owning a device or participating on the internet.

Digital exclusion and the elderly

Ruth is not alone in being left out in the digital darkness. Digital exclusion among the elderly is a very real global problem. Research from 2015 out of the Office for National Statistics in the UK indicated that of the approximately 5.9 million adults who had never used the internet, just over half (3.0 million) were aged 75 years and over. A similar pattern is emerging in the US based on a 2014 Pew Research Report on Older Adults and Technology Use that saw internet and broadband use drop off significantly around age 75.

Wanting to test these trends for myself, I conducted an informal poll with my Facebook friends and was surprised to see that 70% of those who responded (n=10) said they had a loved one 75 years or older using a connected device (i.e., computer, smartphone) to access the internet.

“My grandmother is 85 and relocated to Vancouver from her hometown of Sudbury. She uses a computer to speak on skype to her friends back home and her grandkids when they travel. She needs help sometimes from us when her programs need updating, but is generally quite confident with both emails and skype. Cost of a computer probably would have been a barrier, but she received one for Christmas as soon as she moved out here”

This personal story puts into perspective the number of barriers that the elderly must overcome to get online. Because of things like cost or no family support, too many elderly are missing out on services which could improve the quality of their lifestyle and also their health. I also think about the social isolation and loneliness that could be reduced by writing and reading email, viewing a photo or accessing a social networking site to stay connected to family and friends.

It’s in our nature to care

In today’s increasingly digital world being ‘connected’ is becoming central to a person’s social and economic inclusion and the elderly it would appear are falling further and further behind. On the phone that evening, and only after realizing we had unintentionally excluded my Aunt from our family social network, I felt compelled to do something about it.

As a proud team member of Canada’s fastest-growing national telecommunications company, I proposed the idea of getting Aunt Ruth her very own cellular enabled iPad powered by TELUS. To hear the excitement and enthusiasm in her voice after this proposal was heartwarming. Having completed her Master’s Degree in Political Science at the age of 85, there was not really any doubt in my mind that this lifelong learner would not be up for the challenge of learning a new skill.

After reviewing available in-market iPad deals on our web store for which Aunt Ruth did not qualify for, I turned to our recently launched team member advocacy site. Part of TELUS’s #expectmore campaign, this portal empowers our team members to act as ambassadors for the company and advocate on behalf of their friends and family, using a variety of referral tools and the assistance of specialized “SOS” customer care representatives.

Less than twelve hours after submitting my request, I was speaking to a member of the SOS program who was eager to find a solution that would get Aunt Ruth an iPad and data plan at the best possible price and tailored to her personal needs. After presenting the available options to my Aunt, an iPad was ordered and her excitement went through the roof. While waiting for the shipment to arrive, I helped her setup her first email address which was then proceeded by Aunt Ruth calling everyone in her phonebook to let them know she was about go digital.

Technology education and enablement is key

About five days later, the iPad arrived and I was promptly informed by a call that began with an ecstatic ninety-seven year old shouting “It’s here!” I went over that evening to help Aunt Ruth activate her SIM card and teach her the basics of her new window to the world. I made sure not to overwhelm her with too much information and tailored her first lesson around only the features she would be using the most. We spent the bulk of our time together focused on things like contacts, email, and photos. By the time we landed in her inbox, she was elated to see that she already had email from from friends and family members. It was important for me to build up her self-confidence quickly while addressing any unfounded fears she had about breaking the computer or technology in general.

I now wonder how many other Aunt Ruth’s are out there that don’t have someone in their life to exhibit the kind of patience necessary to teach them about the many benefits of a digital existence. As a society so enamored with technology, more reverse mentoring in families could be just what the doctor ordered to help bridge the digital divide.

And while I would agree that it’s important we continue to direct community resources toward educating our younger generations on safe internet practices (see TELUS Wise), I believe there is a tremendous opportunity for all of us to help our older generations in some way become part of the same online conversation. As I learned throughout this experience, we should not underestimate their ability or willingness to embrace technology. I know the next time I visit Aunt Ruth, I’ll be showing her how to use the web browser to read this blog.