CONTEXT/BACKGROUND Rapid digital transformation offers European member states a unique opportunity to turn population ageing into a pathway for growth. The Silver Economy Study of European Commission estimated that by 2060 at least one in three Europeans will be over 65. Moreover, in the Eurostat’s study “Ageing Europe: looking at the lives of older people” it has been underlined that two fifths of people aged 65-74 years old had never used even a computer. Within this context, learning is no longer confined to a specific phase in our lives, but rather it has become a dynamic process covering all stages of life. Bridging the digital divide between generations, is perceived as the potential approach to meet every day needs of older people. ICT4Elders is the answer towards transforming elderly peoples’ lives by improving their well-being as they will be able to use the Internet and access services ultimately aimed for their well-being. Our project proposal fosters innovation by ensuring that elders could have the appropriate information needed. OBJECTIVES (O) (additional to the ones analyzed in the previous section): O1: Promoting ICT education and lifelong learning of older adults; O2: Increasing motivation through guided learning; O3: Give elders the opportunity to progress and have a quality life via active ageing and being drastic members of the society O4: Provide elder care givers the opportunity to upskill their knowledge and competences in their work field O5: Assist Active ageing organizations and nursing home in providing elders and their families services of high quality TARGET GROUPS 1.Elder care givers & companions 2. VET Trainers 3. Elders more importantly those over 70 4. Families 5. Active Ageing Organizations 6. Nursing Homes 7. NGOs on social inclusion RESULTS (Countries of implementation: Czech Republic & Greece) 1 developed training curriculum for elder care givers and companions 1 developed guidance scheme for elders More than 60 elders are going to participate in the guidance provision At least 20 elders participated in the social experiement More than 500 elders are going to benefit from the project More than 60 elder care givers are going to have been trained on the features of the ICT4Elders framework, using the training scheme developed through this project. IMPACT Elderly People • Acquisition of new skills & competences necessary for following the changes of everyday life in the age of Information • Tools for understanding the harms and dangers of the Internet and the creation of coping mechanisms with fraud such as fake news, scum and hate rhetoric • A pathway to Social Inclusion, through taking advantage of the opportunities the Internet provides, for socializing and interacting with other people • Confidence boost in handling everyday tasks and activities that include a good understanding of digital applications • Protection of this vulnerable demographic group from various harms (health issues) with the use of modern technological innovations that they can use as self-help mechanisms Partners organisations Nursing homes • Create better working relations, links and networking opportunities with other organisations increased both nationally and at European level • Establish a staff with increased skills and competences to assist elder people • Elderly care institutions have access to an integration training method for the Social Inclusion of the elderly in a society dominated by the internet • Sectoral stakeholders get direct access to well-trained elderly care providers, meeting their standards and tested in practice • Sectoral stakeholders shift their focus on innovative technologies and digital applications, staying relevant in the market competition Elderly care providers • Acquisition of innovative and practical skills useful for their work via their participation in innovative teaching and learning methods • Possibility of certification to the individuals who successfully complete the project training
Through this project, we aimed to establish partnerships at the European level with the goal of improving the digital skills of seniors and eliminating their social exclusion resulting from a lack of digital knowledge. Digital skills are generally perceived as highly valuable as digitization is taking place in all sectors, making basic knowledge essential for keeping up with constantly changing services and innovations in the digital world. As a result, the project aimed to support the quality of life for seniors by enhancing their digital skills in line with EU values. Additionally, we aimed to promote equal access to information across all age groups through the project. The internet serves as a fast source of information, and skills in information and digital technologies will facilitate and ensure seniors' access to exercising this right. The project goals were as follows: 1) Support ICT education and lifelong learning; 2) Increase motivation through guided learning; 3) Provide opportunities for active aging; 4) Provide caregivers with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and competencies; 5) Provide assistance to senior organizations and social services in delivering quality services to seniors and their families.
The rapid digital transformation offers European states a unique opportunity to turn the aging population into a path of growth. The European Commission's Silver Economy study estimates that by 2060, at least one in three Europeans will be over 65 years old. Additionally, the Eurostat study "Ageing Europe: Looking at the lives of older people" states that two-fifths of people aged 65-74 have never used a computer. In this context, learning is no longer limited to a specific stage of our lives but becomes a dynamic process that encompasses all life stages. Due to a lack of knowledge, seniors are unable to keep up with new trends such as e-banking, e-payments, etc., which have become common aspects of modern citizens' lives. Utilizing the internet in various sectors, it is crucial to have the necessary skills that enable them to actively age and be full members of society. Without these skills, a digital divide arises between generations that needs to be eliminated. Bridging the digital divide between generations is seen as a possible approach to fulfilling the daily needs of seniors. The ICT4Elders is a response to the question of how to improve the lives of seniors in the digital world and harness the benefits it brings.