Grant: Other: Canada-UK Aging Initiative

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can help everybody, young and old with their daily lives, and help older people to continue to live independently. Research has shown that more and more older people are becoming users of ICTs, but may face obstacles in sustaining their ICT use. A team of researchers, led by Dr. Wendy Young, Canada Research Chair in Healthy Aging, will find out from older adults living in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) if they are using ICTs. The team will also find out if they have given up using them, and if so, the reasons why. And she will find out why they have given up using them. This information will be summarized and compared to similar information from the United Kingdom. We will find out if the ICT problems in Canada and the United Kingdom are similar. Experts from both countries will get together to find solutions to the common problems in NL. One solution will be tried. The researchers will ask the older people if the solution helped them. Dr. Young¿s project will involve three partners. She will be working with the Seniors Resource Centre (SRC). This community organization has many programs that support older persons. Dr. Young will also be working with Saint Elizabeth Health Care. This home care organization has been using innovative methods to provide education and care to older adults and their families. The third partner is Professor Damodaran, the U.K. leader of the project. Professor Damodaran and her colleagues have been studying a community of older adults to explore their use of new technology. The many lessons learned from this joint Canada-UK research initiative will be shared with clients, individuals who care for older adults, and with the politicians responsible for funding the care of older adults. It is hoped that this research will help and effect policy decisions and scientific, technology and design choices that will make sure that older people will enjoy better quality lives.