Age and technology
Investigator
Judith Sixsmith, Manchester Metropolitan University
Background
The infiltration of technology into everyday life has progressed at a rapid pace. While technology is usually designed to improve people's lives, its impact is not always beneficial.
Research suggests that the psycho-social and organisational effects of technologies are contradictory, especially concerning the health, social care and participation of older people.
Whilst technology can potentially enhance their access to information or communication and improve quality of life in many ways; it excludes those who cannot gain access to equipment or lack the skills or confidence to use it.
Technology can facilitate independent living but there are risks of unintended and harmful consequences as well as exclusion from the benefits that technology could bring.
Aims and objectives
This preparatory network brought together experts from a range of academic, public and private organisations to explore the individual, psycho-social, engineering and political contexts in which technologies are located.
It focused on providing better understandings of how older people can be supported in accessing and using technology to enhance quality of life.
Issues of life course, culture and gender were explored, with implications for policy, product development, new approaches to commercial activities and training and support services.
Result
Unfortunately, this project was not funded by the NDA.