Older People
How old is old? These days a pensioner is as likely to be found mountaineering as knitting by the fire.Respecting our elders
Over the coming decades older people will form a larger section of the community, and new age discrimination laws will require a significant shift in attitudes and expectations.
Older people are not a homogenous group, and certainly shouldn’t be stereo-typed. Addressing them as an audience is a huge challenge – but it’s an exciting time to think about how new products should be evolved and marketed to such a diverse and increasingly important section of the community.
Tackling the digital divide between young and old was a key objective of our work on Smartplace, a three-year campaign for the SWRDA and partners. Amongst the many positive outcomes, was the establishment of ICT training programmes that have resulted in an increased number of Silver Surfers.
The Impact of Dementia
A major new report published by the Alzheimers Society highlights the impact of dementia in the UK.
The key facts in the report include:
- 700,000 people with dementia
- 15,000 younger people with dementia
- 11,500 people with dementia from BME groups
- 60,000 deaths a year are directly attributable to dementia
- There will be over a million people with dementia by 2025