Chatting with relatives online, working with digital photos or reading the newspaper on the internet doesn’t come easy to your average pensioner but information technology design is increasingly taking into account the needs of older people.
Many pensioners have never learnt how to work a computer and the anxiety of trying to tackle new technology grows with age. Computer scientists in the German city of Bremen have developed new software to help the elderly become more comfortable working with a computer.
The idea is based around a simplified user interface that uses enlarged icons ordered alongside each other like a menu and allow the senior citizen to select whether they, for example, want to write an email, view photos, make a video call or listen to music.
“The complexity is reduced,” says Professor Michael Lawo of Bremen University’s technology centre, adding that any fear or anxiety of unknown technology is immediately reduced. “They quickly have successful experiences with them,” he points out.
The simplified user interface doesn’t mean a reduction in functionality or processing power. “We haven’t stripped anything from the computers, instead we have in a way placed a layer on top that makes access easier,” explains Lawo.
The users decide for themselves whether they want to work with a normal Windows Desktop or to activate the simplified version.
“People who reach the age of 80 aren’t necessarily computer illiterate anymore. Consequently, the software is tailored to individual needs,” says Lawo.
The scientists worked with 50 test subjects with an average age of 76 to discover what particular software needs old people have. Some lived in their own homes while others were in care. The pensioners were observed as they worked with the software and subsequently asked for their views.
The technology was then changed bit by bit to meet the old people’s needs, with the scientists admitting that many unexpected issues arose during the process.
For example, Lawo’s team had to shelve a planned online shopping programme where the pensioners could order groceries online and have them delivered because there was no interest in the idea.
The software has already been installed in the IT room at two senior citizen care homes in Bremen, while residents can also download the software to their own computers if they so wish.
It is hoped to expand the service to more and more care homes in the future but the computer scientists also have other plans.
At the moment, they are working on a multi—generational house in Bremerhaven where technology is used to automatically turn off an oven or activate an alarm in case of emergency.
