AgeTech: Let’s start with connectivity
During lockdown Vozrastech started social initiative on providing smartphones and digital support to older adults.
Vozrastech project is dedicated to technologies for elders (AgeTech). It’s mostly about blog, articles, events, consulting, cooperation with local and international startups and other partners, searching for new digital solutions and all that. But COVID-19 changed our work too.
We’ve decided to focus on one of the key problems — connectivity. So during pandemic the elderly have to stay home and in this case lockdown means social isolation and loneliness. In Russia, while in the age under 35 the share of active Internet users is close to 100%, then in the age of 65–74 it drops to 25%, and the older the worse. So, elders are mostly out of the digital world, and there are different reasons for that.
Vozrastech’s initiative for elders is rather simple — provide smartphones with access to mobile Internet, configure, explain how to use and support in the using of new technologies. It’s about dealing with vendors/distributors of gadgets, mobile operators, NGOs and volunteers. We’ve started in our city — St. Petersburg with group of local elders aged up to 83.
There are many well-known issues regarding using of digital devices and services for elders starting with UX/UI. And we’ve found all of the them in real cases. But we see that it’s OK to start with the messengers, social networks and news services, then add video trainings, lectures, concerts, then online shopping and online banking etc.
We’re planning to expand our initiative both in number of elders to connect, set of devices and services to use, and number of partners. AgeTech is really in demand now, but the same demand goes to connectivity and digital literacy, so it’s a lot of work for business, state and community.
