This article is the primary of a Digital Seniors series… Articles focused on Older Americans and the Internet
1. Digital Senior information
2. Barriers and Benefits for Senior Internet Use
3. Why and How Seniors Use the Internet
4. Internet Learning Opportunities for Seniors
five. Senior Friendly Computing
6. Senior Internet Safety Tips
7. Information Resources About Seniors and the Internet
INTRODUCTION… The evolution of the information age and incorporation of its virtual technology has converted the general public of the arena’s population. Race, age, education, socio-financial reputation, area, and employment have every stimulated its penetration. Progressive increase of the 65+ populace remains explosive (see demographics). This is the first in a chain of articles concerning the net and older Americans eastman cello 305 (sixty five+). We review current literature and public statistics with awareness on Senior population facts, then Senior internet users. The incentive is to describe who these Digital Seniors are and what they do. We will distill present research on the lookout for important and applicable statistics.
REFERENCES… A definitive and whole bibliography are found in the article titled….”Information Resources About Seniors and the Intenet”. Though many sources were researched and referred to on this record, the definitive source of reliable records is produced by means of the Pew Research Center (1). Pew Research Center Library Survey, backed by way of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project and the Gates Foundation, received phone interviews with a nationally consultant pattern of 6,224 people a long time sixteen and older residing inside the United States. Reported 4/3/14
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
Information Age… Refers to a phase of human history, much like the economic age. It is characterized by international embrace of digital technologies as a portal to verbal exchange and information. The starting of the Information Age can be associated with the miniaturization of the laptop after improvement of the silicon chip in the overdue 1970’s. The spread of the pc/internet’s impact commenced concerning the mass of the population by the 1990’s. Today, all industries and cultures are computer/net dependent because of the unprecedented availability of records. The resultant adjustments are enormous, nearly instant, and nevertheless evolving.
Digital Seniors… In summary, it’s hard to outline “Seniors” as a homogenous group. Our operational definition is adults who are 65+ years. Digital Seniors are those Seniors who take part in net use. Our favored category of Seniors is primarily based on chronologic and cognitive age. The following text is from an abstract of an article by using Eastman (four): “Despite the growth of the net, one place that has not honestly been mentioned is the aged’s use of the internet. Given the rapid boom of this populace as well as the capability the internet holds for them, it is a subject really worth consideration. However, seniors can not be described without a doubt with the aid of their chronological age, however through their cognitive age. This paper discusses the effect of cognitive age of a national random pattern of American aged customers on their internet use. The results suggest that those seniors with a younger cognitive age use the internet more than the ones seniors with an older cognitive age. Additionally, seniors with a younger cognitive age have extra social contact off-line (however now not on-line) than the ones seniors with an older cognitive age. Finally, in phrases of demographic variables, chronological age is definitely associated with cognitive age and women document a younger cognitive age than guys. These outcomes suggest that for policy makers interested by increasing the participation of seniors, they are able to make use of the net to reach folks who are more youthful in terms of cognitive age; however, they may no longer be able to attain all seniors in this way and they want to make use of the internet as a complementing media to their conventional conversation assets.” Another classification defines two businesses of older Americans. The first organization is a more youthful cognitive age and is composed of more notably knowledgeable, probable greater affluent Seniors who’ve extraordinarily large era belongings. They typically include the net and discover blessings in its use. The 2nd organization is of an older cognitive age, possibly less affluent, and frequently with massive challenges… Health, disability or financial difficulties. They are in large part disconnected from the world of digital tools and services, each physically and psychologically. (4, 6)
SENIOR CENSUS DEMOGRAPHICS… These records are derived from US Census Bureau 2010 reports and USCB 2012, 2013 estimates. Based on 2012 information, of an envisioned 330 million Americans, 15% or 40.3 million are sixty five+. The percent increases of this age institution are significant inside the US… 31 million in 1990, then 35 million in 2000, as much as forty.Three million (13.Nine%) in 2012. The projected population of older Americans is forecasted to be 20% by 2050. World population estimates in 2010 are 6.Nine billion humans with 546 million (eight%) who are sixty five+. In 2012, the United Nations estimated that there had been 316,600 dwelling centenarians (one hundred+) worldwide and 53,000 within the US. (three)
Which era are you in? Millennials… A while 18-33, 30% of person population, 35% of users net users; Gen X… Ages 34-forty five, 19% of grownup populace, 21% of net customers; Younger Boomers… 20% of adult population, 20% of net customers; Older Boomers, a long time 56-sixty four, 14% of adult population, thirteen% of net users; Silent Generation… A long time 65-seventy three, 7% of adult populace, 5% of net users; G.I. Generation… Age 74+, 9% of grownup population, 3% of net customers *Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, April 29-May 30, 2010 Tracking Survey. N
General net customers in 2011 consistent with Pew Research Center Internet and American Life Project 2011, 2260 adults >18 yrs.: Demographics of internet users are: 80% of men, seventy six% of ladies, eighty% of whites, 71% of Black/African Americans, 68% of Hispanics, ninety four% of 18-29 year olds, 87% of 30-forty nine 12 months olds, seventy four% of fifty-64 12 months olds, 41% sixty five+ 62 of Americans with incomes <$30.000/y, 83% with incomes $30-49,000/y, 90% % with incomes $50-74,000/y, 97% with incomes >$74,000/y forty three% of non excessive faculty graduates, 71% of excessive school graduates, 88% of adults with a few university, 94% of college graduates *Source: Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project, April 29-May 30, 2010 Tracking Survey. N
In summary, the Pew Research Center interviewed >1500 Seniors by using smartphone (1). Respondents revealed these specific demographics: How many Seniors use the net… Common 59%; Of those users… 71% use internet every day, 82% weekly. Sixty five% of Senior men and fifty five% of Senior women are customers. As age increases, utilization decreases… Approximately seventy five% of 65year olds and almost 35% of 80year olds. As the time surpassed, usage elevated… 15% in 2000 to 50% in 2013. Other elements associated with extra utilization which includes… Expanded schooling stages, improved earning, city greater than rural communities. Younger cognitive age is related to more social contact and net usage (4). Among Seniors, training makes a distinction… The extent of schooling mirrors the degree of net usage. Working is a chief correlate with net utilization. 14% of Seniors are included within the team of workers, typically working in control. Occupation degrees are also influential in usage… 80% of managers, 70% of sales/technical, and 20% operators/worker’s. If net is used at work, 77% use net at home.
Digital Seniors, by way of definition, are energetic in computer and internet use for a multiplicity of reasons. There are 4 basic indications… 1 communication, 2 facts searching for, three amusement, 4 transactions. Most Seniors keep willingness, capacity, and even pride in mastering for its personal sake. This might provide an explanation for the growth of online courses. Eight in 10 Senior adults who use the net agree that human beings with out net get admission to are at a actual downside due to all of the data they’re lacking (5).
Seniors use the internet much less regularly than the the rest of the population. Of those users >80% go to the net 3-5 times in line with week and >70% of users go to day by day. In truth almost 80% agree that there’s good sized downside to no net usage because of much less information get entry to, even as approximately 35% of non-customers disagree with that opinion (2). Research well-knownshows that there is a skeptical view toward the advantages and relevance of laptop associated technologies. This loss of want is a extra critical issue than price in the impact on usage. Again, it is advised that pc internet usage ought to be applied as a complementing media to conventional communication.