Essex Blueprint for Older People

Essex County Council aims to make older people the most 'tech confident in the world.'

21:04 10 July 2018

Essex County Council has commissioned a report that sets out a blueprint for using technology in the healthcare sector. Entitled Digital Boomers, the document found that although older people were more “tech savvy” than they realise and although existing technology “would not replace hands on care”, it can be used to improve the quality of their lives.

 

The report, which was written by Rethink Partners, said that “massive opportunity for the public sector to help local people use technology to live more independently for longer.”

 

Clare Morris, co-founder of Rethink Partners, said: "Lots of technology already exists to help with daily living.

 

"This work is about how we get older people and professionals as confident and comfortable with this sort of technology as they already are with smart phones, tablets and Facebook."

 

The report advocates giving more support to voluntary organisations, creating spaces for people to learn about technology and investing in infrastructure such as Wi-Fi.

 

Reacting on the report, Inez Wilding, 83, from Kelvedon, said: "I think it is really important to be knowledgeable about it and it means I can have my independence." She added that she is using technology not just to stay in touch with her loved ones but also for practical tasks, such as food shopping.