Digital Senior

An estimated 400,000 senior citizens in Norway do not access the internet, mainly due to a lack of relevant skills stemming from negative preconceptions about technology. Digital Senior was designed with elderly participants throughout its development, drawing on national and international research on older citizens, health and digital learning, to build a "prototype" aimed at reducing loneliness and increasing social and digital learning.

Reduce seniors' fear of technology, build a sense of mastery, and help senior citizens with no previous knowledge of the "internet of things" become informed, engaged digital citizens - ultimately reducing isolation caused by a gap in digital skills.

Each senior is partnered with a volunteer tutor who has undergone pedagogical training, for two lessons per week over ten weeks: the first lesson each week is a group session (up to 10 senior-tutor pairs), the second is one-on-one with the tutor. Over an 18-month testing period, more than 340 participants aged 54-86 from across Norway, with no previous knowledge of tablets or smartphones, gave continuous feedback that shaped the final Digital Senior programme. It is funded by the Norwegian Directorate of Health and delivered by the Norwegian Red Cross and local branches with municipalities, public health offices, libraries and other NGOs, involving 150 volunteers.

By the end of the ten weeks, participating seniors have mastered basic tablet use, including email, cameras, video chat and chat apps, plus two apps of their choice, and have the basic understanding to continue learning independently or take further classes. Elderly participants are reported to be more positive and likely to use technology, resulting in a greater feeling of connectedness.

Materials have been translated into English and made available to other national Red Cross Societies, and the programme was expected to start up in Cyprus in 2021, suggesting potential for replication in other countries facing similar digital-skills gaps among older populations.