Distribution & Demographics
Survey Analysis and Results
Funnily enough, I used technology to send out the survey in this COVID era. I posted the survey on my Facebook account and sent text messages and made phone calls to my relatives and family friends who are 60+. I utilized my Grandma's use of Facebook and got her to share the post to her feed as did some of the people I reached out to. It was a network affect to reach the participants through technology.
This is a limitation of the survey as non-users or people who may have an interesting point of view are essentially unreachable at a time in history where going into a retirement home to survey people is not an option. Where I tried to make up for this limitation was in my interviews as I spoke with a variety of users, non-users and limited users within my network.
Who is a "senior"?
65+
Current age 75-92
Ages were split to represent people who are nearing the age to be considered a senior 60-65 years of age, seniors 65-75 and the Silent Generation 75+. Participant exclusion criteria is based on age.
The majority of participants are between 65 and 74 years old, with 58% of respondents being in this age category.
Results
The infographic is a visual representation of the results of the quantitative and some qualitative questions asked in the survey.
The respondents used a variety of technological devices including: cellphone, television, iPad, tablet, Zoom technologies, landlines, desktops, laptops and for AirPods, Fitbit and speaker system there was one respondent for each. This was an open ended question so the responses varied.
Since this survey was shared through Facebook, majority of respondents noted they use Facebook as a social media platform. Only 3 of 30 respondents noted they do not use social media, and platforms that were added to the platform options by respondents include TikTok, email, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
My 70 year old aunt, who lives in the Yukon, completed the survey and promised to send it to her friends - except she didn't know how to send it. It was my aunt's first time taking a survey from her phone. While on the phone with her, while I was trying to help her send the link, she learned how to use speaker phone, how to use FaceTime, how to close her background apps, how to go to the home screen while on a call and finally, how to copy and paste a message. My interactions with older adults continuously show me how much work needs to be done to empower them to utilize technology for the betterment of their lives.
Qualitative Results
"What is your biggest challenge with technology?"
The sentiment in the responses to this question were related to a lack of knowledge or understanding of how to use the products and staying up to date on current knowledge. Technology is everchanging and this constant evolution is challenging for someone learning something new for the first time. Once they've learned how to do it, they may not be able to cope as easily with subtle changes as they are still getting a handle on the original task completion.
Other notable comments in regards to challenges were: passwords, lack of written instructions and issues correcting mistakes.
"Do you have any ideas on how to make technology more accessible or user friendly for older adults who may not be inclined to use technology?"
I felt it was important to ask the users what they want to see and include them in the design process. Here are some of their answers:
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Help sessions
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Be shown the benefits
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Someone with patience to show them
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Paper instructions
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Live demo sessions
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iPads with keyboards
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Mentorship program
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Chat bots and FAQ sections
Overwhelmingly so, people said that in order to make it more accessible, older adults want to be shown how to use the technology. Things need to be simplified and practiced. The benefits need to be communicated and use encouraged as many older adults fall back on saying "I'm too old" or "There is no sense in learning it now".
"What emotions has the pandemic made you feel?"
Word size is indicative of frequency of the response.
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Many of negative emotions
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Some positivity and gratefulness
Technology likes and dislikes
Respondents loved the fact that technology keeps them connected and able to communicated with friends and family. It keeps them up to date with society and is easy to access information.
However, respondents worry about safety concerns and the complexity of technology. They struggle with internet issues, and feel people are too dependent on technology and it can be impersonal.
"Are there any technologies you are interested in but do not have?"
The respondents:
It can be difficult to think of things and features you wish you had when you do not know what is out there. Some technologies of interest include facial recognition, electric cars, smartwatches, smartphones, and social media.
Please see solutions and suggestions on the main page:
The survey is hosted on Google Forms and can be found here. The data has been collected, however the survey remains open.
10 users were excluded from the results as they were younger than 60, thus not in my target demographic for an older adult population.