On 11 September a group of experts on technology and ageing, presented at the European Economic and Social Committee some ideas and projects that will help both older people and organisations specialized in technology to find their place in the world we are leaving.
By 2020, 25% of the EU's population will be over 65 and people aged from 65 to 80 will rise nearly 40% until 2030. To respond to this growing demographic challenge, the Council of Ministers approved on 2008 a €600 million Commission plan to develop digital technologies designed to help older people to continue living independently at home and to be more involved in new platforms, such as social networks.
Likewise, the Digital Agenda for Europe is pushing the ICT in the Member States and is offering better services to citizens, like high-speed internet connections, access to cultural content and job opportunities, explained Bruno Constantini, Secretary-General of FERPA (European Federation of Retired and Older Persons). According to him, to go forward and obtain good results, companies must have older people in mind because they “can be integrated as resources”, and to not hire them is “a drop in the productivity of companies and a drop in the creation of products.”
We use to think that people over 65 are at the end of their lives and don't need to work any more, but we are wrong. They can share they experience and younger generations can teach them about new technologies, said Constantini. “Our society can not longer live without technology”, he stated, and “we need everybody on board”, including older people.
The percentage of people using ICTs in the workplace is increasing. According to a study made by Eurofound to 42,000 citizens in 34 different countries, 42% used them in 2010. Besides, 11,5% used ICT and machinery, 19,5% only the second option and a 27% could work without them. As well, is important to highlight that the number of people over 50 that work with technologies is growing up rapidly, 45,8% utilise them.
However, “more use at work means new conditions”, explained Greet Vermeylen, research manager at Eurofound. For instance, these new kind of jobs need specific skills and older people must be updated to be efficient and productive. Besides, “it is difficult to see whether ICT is helpful or not” for them, because some works may be more intensives, with painful positions or can generate long-term effects, she said.
Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is a joint program that calls for proposals for research and development to enhance the quality of life of older people. It counts with a €700 million budget, which 50% comes from the Commission and other public partners, and will finish in 2013.
In its five calls since 2008 the project worked always under the same idea: “improve quality of life of elderly people”, said Karina Marcus, Director of the programme. To offer the option of “ageing well at home, community and work”, they work in partnership with small and medium enterprises and universities, among others.
Within its projects we can find “Rosetta”, which installs alarms and other devices at home; Cap Mouse, a computer mouse that can be used with the tongue for people with diseases like Parkinson; and Connected Vitality, a laptop with two screen to create a more real communication.
Despite Europe is working very hard to introduce older people into technologies, the continent would grow faster if all countries take examples of others, such as Japan. The Asian country has a rapid ageing population, therefore it created different devices and services to give more facilities to its older citizens.
Besides the electronic health record, they developed a tele-medicine program which gives medical solutions, a tele-work system to promote jobs, a robot that can find solutions for dangers in public areas and a green ICT project, explained Koji Ouchi, First Secretary of the Mission of Japan in the EU.
There is no doubt that older people are an important part of our society, and companies, institutions and younger generations should value them. Nevertheless, first of all we have to “ensure that access to ICT is a SGI (service of general interest)”, said Pierre Bauby, EESC expert, and also “ensure that EU founds contribute.”
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Nerea Rial
Quelle/Source: New Europe, 11.09.2012
Bitte besuchen Sie/Please visit:
