When it comes to older people getting online, it’s often confidence rather than any technical issue that puts them off most. For a lot of older people, using phones or computers can engender a sense of wariness. This is an issue that groups working in the sector have identified as a key challenge.
“In Age Action’s experience, it is confidence rather than ability that’s the main barrier,” says Camille Loftus, Age Action’s head of advocacy and public affairs. “Particularly when using online services to conduct financial business such as banking, accessing government services, or sharing personal information.
“People are wary of scams and fraud, and worried about the implications of making an error.”
The first step towards overcoming that confidence issue, and making sure older users are comfortable online, is in ensuring they have good access. A survey by Alone found that a substantial minority of older people are completely offline.
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“This year, we asked some questions about internet access, and we found 19 per cent of people do not have any access to the internet,” says Aileen O’Reilly, head of impact and public affairs at Alone.
Affordability plays a part here; O’Reilly argues that the Telephone Support Allowance no longer reflects the full cost of communication.
Even with affordable access, there’s still the matter of ensuring older people are comfortable using internet services.
Colleen Dube, chief executive of National Adult Literacy Agency (Nala) says, “In our experience in Nala, in addition to a lack of skills and confidence and trust in technology, older people in Ireland experience challenges including connectivity, cybersecurity concerns, accessibility challenges and keeping up with the pace of change.”
The cybersecurity issue is a major one when it comes to confidence. Older adults have good cause to be wary of being targeted by fraudsters.
“Recent research from the Central Bank of Ireland found that adults aged 65 and over were more likely to report having experienced fraud. Just over 70 per cent of those aged 65-plus had reported fraud, compared with around one-third among 18–24-year-olds,” says Dube.
With scams arriving in a variety of forms, from fake websites to misleading texts or phoney ads, it’s understandable why older people are wary of the risks involved. That doesn’t mean the user can’t take back control.
The warning signs are there if you know what to look for. That could be implausibly low prices, pressure to act fast, or the scammer asking you to provide bank details or passwords.
“We should all be aware of the risk of phishing emails and texts, fraudulent phone calls, fake links and websites, and any requests for personal or banking information,” says Loftus.
The advice the groups working with older people give is the same I give my own mother: if you don’t know what to do then don’t interact or respond.
“The most common scams we have heard about are phone and text scams, where someone impersonates a bank or service, claims there is a problem with an account or an attractive offer, and asks the person for their details,” says O’Reilly.
Users should also be wary of professional-looking promotions online, which often look similar to real brands.
“Investment fraud happens when fraudsters posing as legitimate firms offer consumers investment opportunities on social media or in a sponsored search result, and we have heard from some of the older people we support about cases of this type of fraud,” says O’Reilly.
If a person who contacts you is ramping up the urgency, that’s a big red flag. It’s always safer to stop and seek advice from a trusted source.
That mindset helps to get older people on the journey to enjoying life as silver surfers, as it helps to get them eager to learn – not just to protect themselves, but to explore more.
“As technology is changing all the time, all of us can benefit from taking steps to build digital skills, understanding and confidence,” says Dube.
As with most things in life, regular practice, along with asking questions of people you trust, will help users to improve and gain confidence. There are also programmes available to help users.
“Age Action provides a digital training course specifically designed for older people, called Getting Started. It’s free, one-to-one, tutoring with a volunteer supported by Age Action, and it’s a great way of building your confidence to get online and use smart devices with confidence,” says Loftus.
Nala and Alone also have services for users; the former provides classes through local Education and Training Board centres, while the latter has teamed up with Vodafone for its Hi Digital service.
“The programme has evolved over the past number of years into a free nationwide support programme, combining digital lessons, quick-tip videos and in-store guidance to help older adults build confidence online,” says O’Reilly.
Getting online is the first step but feeling included while surfing the web involves a lot more. True digital inclusion depends on access being affordable, users having confidence, and sufficient security and support being available to assist them.
That responsibility cannot lie with the silver surfers alone. Those providing services to older people need to recognise their unique needs and cater to them.
That involves clearer-to-use systems and the highest level of safety. When all of this is put together, then technology can be a real tool to keep older people connected and increase their independence in all aspects of their lives, on and offline.
