I applaud Mr Jeffery Law Lee Beng's efforts to embrace technology (Seniors need to embrace technology to lead independent lives, Dec 10). Indeed, it would be ideal if many older adults could leverage technology the way he describes.

But let us be cautious about blaming the victim. Technology is not simply a thing out there evolving on its own, threatening to leave us behind. We must recognise that humans shape technology, and society can do this more purposefully and inclusively.

The late gerontologist Mortimer Powell Lawton pointed out two kinds of mismatches between older adults and their technological environments.

The first kind of mismatch is individual lag, which happens when the demands of changing technologies outpace individual ability. There is some degree of individual responsibility needed here, but we cannot address this only by expecting older adults to upskill and providing them with digital ambassadors.

For instance, many older adults face sensory decrements, cognitive decline and other health conditions. Yet, much of the technology used in everyday life today is not designed for such users.

Based on a recent study I conducted together with fellow researchers, about 7 per cent of community-dwelling older adults in Singapore face health-related difficulties in using the Internet.

Individual lag can also result from other barriers around cost, language and privacy. Producers and implementers of technological tools bear an equal (if not greater) responsibility to address the burden they impose on users - such as through better user design, lower costs to entry and measures to smooth out technological transitions.

The second mismatch is social-structural lag. This refers to the technological environment not keeping up with the aspirations of older adults.

For instance, technologies that help older adults learn or encourage inter-generational bonding are often lacking, compared with those devoted to safety and surveillance. Before the pandemic, many nursing homes around the world did not even have the infrastructure to facilitate video calls or telemedicine appointments.

As younger cohorts age into later life, many of the needs and wants of older adults will evolve. We should expect technology to adapt to these aspirations, instead of the other way around.

The path that "technology" takes is not inevitable. Technological tools can be as senior-friendly as we want them to be.

For a start, this means including older adults at every step, from the conceptualisation to the implementation of new technologies.

Key services like banks and supermarkets should undertake the main responsibility of ensuring older adults do not get left behind, whether through technological means or otherwise.

Shannon Ang (Dr)

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-tech-tools-can-be-as-senior-friendly-as-we-want-them-to-be