Attitudes to and the use of technology among the elderly

population in Finland

Lea Stenberg

Do we know what is wanted?

• Gap of possibilities and real adaption

• Little statistics and research of 75+

• Research often with +55

• But what do the old people, the USERS, want?

Research done by

• KÄKÄTE – User Centered Technology for Elderly People and Care Givers

• Union of Senior Services and The Central Union for the Welfare of the Aged

• Finnish Slot Machine Association RAY 2010–2014

• Together with TNS Gallup

• 800 respondents of the age 75 - 89 • Telephone interview • Persons living in their own home • June 2011

• The sample drawn from the Population

Register • Represent the ”elite”!

In practice

Questions

• Satisfaction with different aspects of life • Getting help • Use of technology (mobile phone,

computer, internet,) • Attitudes towards technology

Satisfaction and age

• FINANCES •76% satisfied with available finances •17% not satisfied

• HEALTH •Satisfaction with health decrease with age •Professional background influences

• SOCIAL and HEALTH SERVICES •20% are not satisfied with availability

Possibilities to influence

Getting help!

• 32% get help • Increases naturally with age, half of persons over 85 years get help

• Would you need help? •12% report they would need help (30 000 persons ) • These persons often old and unable to get out of their home frequently

Technologies in use

Differences by age

Usage by profession

Could technology be useful to me?

Are You willing to pay?

…but all are not

Lessons learned

• Also the very old need to be asked!

• When using wrong presumptions

• The possibilites of todays technologies are not utilized

• Action is not taken to involve and include many

65+ (or 75+) is not homogenious!

• When developing for example e-services, we need to take into account differences between

• Genders

• Agegroups

• Geographic location

• Proffessional background… etc!

Information Society for All?!

• Information provision to the non-Internet user?

• What services and how?

• Equal information society is not here yet!

Use of Internet

Thank You!

lea.stenberg@valli.fi