Band 8+: Mobile phone and the internet could have many benefits for old people. However, this age group uses technology the least. What are the benefits for old people of using mobile phones and the internet? How can we encourage them to use this new technology?

Nowadays almost everybody in developing and developed countries has his own smartphone with a big amount of options and features. A modern device can make one’s life much easier, especially if the owner belongs to the senior age group. Nevertheless, the elderly often ignore all the benefits of technology due to a number of reasons.

To begin with an up-to-date smartphone with access to the Internet has a lot of benefits for its senior owner. First of all, he or she can have an opportunity to call the ambulance and quickly report their location to their family using geolocation in case of deterioration of health. As a result, the safety of the smartphone owner will be ensured in case of emergency. Moreover, modern smartphones can provide provide quick, high-quality video calls, which helps seniors to stay connected with friends and relatives even when they are miles apart.

Despite all the advantages of mobile phones for the elderly, they are still not very popular among this age group. Firstly, all the features of recent devices may appear too complicated for the seniors, who are not accustomed to using gadgets. It is not very easy for them to familiarise themselves with all the buttons and functions on the screen. This problem could be addressed to phone manufacturers who can provide free digital-skills courses of using the most necessary options for the senior users. As far as I know Apple Inc. has already organised a lot of simple courses for their older customers. Furthermore, the income of elderly people often does not allow them to purchase expensive gadgets, which makes these technologies inaccessible to them. The way forward should be to provide special pricing offers on smartphones for elderly people.

To conclude, modern smartphones can considerably ease the lives of the elderly; nevertheless, they unfortunately face several challenges in purchasing and operating these devices. Such initiatives as digital-skill courses provided by manufacturers and special pricing offers can make gadgets more accessible to those who need them most.