Interesting data on computer literacy and attitude toward using social media by people aged 65+ was gained by our Erasmus+ project consortium coming from 5 EU countries.
Two of the project’s main results are:
- A co-designed Training Syllabus for Professionals
- The development of a user-friendly e-tool for seniors and professionals working with them.
Useful data was also published by the Balkan Institute for Labor and Social Policy as a result of a study carried out within the framework of an international project (SAAM – Supporting Active Aging through Multimodal Coaching), in which ten organizations from five European countries participated. Local partners of the Balkan Institute for Labor and Social Policy are the Bulgarian Red Cross and Caritas Bulgaria. best otc phentermine over counter
The computer literacy survey shows that people between 66 and 70 years using a computer are almost 74%. More than half of seniors over 70 also work with a computer. Almost as many people use the Internet and email. However, every fifth of them does not know what a smartwatch is.
Smartphones are not preferred among the elderly people cared for by Bulgarian Red Cross and “Caritas Bulgaria” – they prefer to use old-generation mobile phones. Internet-based communication applications such as WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, and Messenger are not relatively widely distributed. In Bulgaria, usually, all elderly people have a TV, slightly more than half – a radio. More than 2/3 measure their own blood pressure or blood sugar.
This data was collected because of the project’s main goal, namely the creation of a virtual health assistant. Given that most representatives of the age group over 60 suffer from hypertension – half of the men and 60% of women, the share of diabetes sufferers is also high, 6% of both sexes have experienced at least one stroke, it would be useful for these users to have a device that is worn on the arm or on clothing and constantly monitors basic vital signs such as blood pressure and heart rate.
The need for such studies, the use of their results, and the creation of innovative products and solutions through various projects such as SAAM and e-Active, are of undoubted benefit for the healthy ageing and social inclusion of the elderly.