Table of ContentsIntroductionThe ProblemLack of Focus on the ElderlyBarriersIntroductionBiological FactorsLack of Instruction and GuidanceFearMental HealthConclusionCurrent SystemsTarget AudienceSocial ConsiderationsEthical ConsiderationsIntroductionAccording to the blog "Bank My Cell", there are has “1 billion more” mobile connections than people in the world” (Turner, 2019). This is a community from which the older generation has been somewhat excluded due to their lack of technological knowledge. We are so used to growing up with technology that we tend not to imagine that we couldn't use it. It should be our responsibility to help include those people who are not familiar with this technological world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay “Designers and manufacturers deliberately ignore over-50s when creating new products and services. Logically, older adults choose not to use products that have nothing to offer them” (Panda Security Mediacenter, 2019). When writing a research-based argumentative essay on technology, it is important to consider the potential exclusion of the older generation and the ethical and social complexities that accompany it, while emphasizing the benefits of technology for their mental health and overall well-being. be. My project will aim to encourage the older generation to become more confident and enthusiastic about the world of computing and technology. This material will address current obstacles they may encounter when trying to learn how to use technology, as well as the ethical and social complexities that arise. The overall goal of this project is to get older people excited about using technology. . There are ever-increasing technological advances that are becoming more and more integrated into our lives every day. If the older generation refrains from using technology, they will get lost in the technological world. This project will provide the older generation with a platform specifically tailored to their needs, allowing them to explore a means of self-help and communication that will have a positive impact on their mental health, resulting in enthusiastic use of technology which she has not experienced. before.The problemLack of attention given to the elderlyTechnology and computing are continuously evolving and we have become a digital world, a large part of this digital world depends on communication and the ability to obtain information. The results from a Quartz article (Murphy, 2019) are shown in Figure 1, with this graph you can see that mobile subscriptions are growing faster than the population, according to Gadget's coverage “we can estimate that approximately 92-95% of millennials in the UK have a smartphone” (Priestley, 2019). Furthermore, Tiger Mobiles statistics indicate that of all mobile phone users in the UK, only “around 16% of them are over 65” (Henshaw, 2019). When compared to the number of millennials who own and use a smartphone, you can understand why, logically, most new app developers will strive to tailor their products to a younger audience, since they make up the majority of users . With new smartphones and apps being released so frequently and technology advancing rapidly, the older generation tends to get left behind. This is explained in particularby the fact that older people can be difficult to care for due to their lack of interest and lack of knowledge on how to approach and use technology, especially if they have never used it previously. barriers that prove to be a common cause of older adults' lack of enthusiasm for technology. Biological Factors Although older adults are interested in learning new computer skills, there are a number of known barriers that pose a significant challenge to the older generation. A blog post in Easy Tech Seniors discusses the "biological part of the struggle" to learn new things as we age. “As our bodies age, our biological processes change and this can also affect our brain. These changes can affect mental function, even in healthy older adults” (EasyTechSeniors, 2019). This shows that there is evidence to suggest that older people have a harder time staying focused due to the natural biological factors that come with aging and therefore can make things like learning to use technology difficult. Lack of Instructions and GuidanceIn addition to this, another barrier that discourages older people from using technology is the lack of instructions or lack of guidance for less technically-minded older users. A study on “Older adults' perceptions of technology and barriers to interacting with electronic tablets” found that lack of instructions had a significant negative impact on the user's attitude to with regard to learning new technologies. They concluded that "most of our participants were eager to adopt new technologies and eager to learn using a tablet." However, they expressed apprehension about the lack or clarity of instructions and support” (Vaportzis, Clausen, & Gow, 2017). This is a key factor to consider when developing this project, especially in the UI design process. Instructions must be clear; Many people of the older generation are not familiar with the technological terms that people are so accustomed to today, for example "application", that these terms can only confuse the user and discourage them. There must be significant support for the user throughout the use of the application; this should include options that ease any vision or hearing limitations. It should also be taken into account that human intervention may be necessary to help guide the user as they are introduced to the application. Fear Some older adults reject digital technology out of fear, Science Daily reported that "fear of making a mistake when using software is important factors inhibiting technology use among older adults" (ScienceDaily, 2018). Not understanding the technology being used can lead to stress and avoidance of technological devices. Personal concerns create a significant block in people's minds, making it even more difficult to approach any type of learning about how to use apps. According to the World Economic Forum, “Security and privacy threats fuel technology fears: Older adults worry about the potential of new technologies to disrupt their privacy and the potential for invasion of their security personal and financial” (Dahlke, Lindeman and Ory, 2019). These concerns should also be addressed and clearly explained tothe older user, so as not to panic them, but to make them understand the control they have over their information, when to share it and with whom. There are several life changes that can negatively affect our health, especially our mental health. In recent years, mental health has become a growing topic of discussion. Age UK reported that “nearly half of adults aged 55 and over report having suffered from depression and around the same number have suffered from anxiety” (Ageuk.org.uk, 2018). According to the World Health Organization, “older people are more likely to experience events such as bereavement or a decline in socioeconomic status with retirement. All of these stressors can lead to isolation, loneliness or psychological distress among older people, for which they may require long-term care” (Who.int, 2017). As we age, we need to be aware that our mental well-being can have the same effect on our lives as our physical well-being and that this is an area that could be improved with the help of technology.ConclusionOlder people who do not know how to use computers or who do not know how to use computers. Those suffering from the above barriers need specific advice and support in learning to use technology. However, this community should not be forgotten but encouraged to join the movement through technological advancements. This project aims to provide a starting point for users to encourage them to overcome their “computer anxiety” (Igi-global.com, 2019) while benefiting from the positive effects that applications can have on their health. Current systemsThere are applications that can create new ways to introduce technology into the lives of older people, and I have chosen a few that I think are relevant to my topic and could help me in my design. “Easy Tablet Help for Seniors” is an app that provides simple, step-by-step instructions for training seniors to use tablets. Instructions are presented in large text and simple language, most instructions are associated with application images which make it easy to understand. This is an approach that will be integrated into the project, because older people will need clear and precise instructions to fully understand what is happening and how the application works. Another application that influenced the project was “Mobile age”; it is a platform specially designed for older people to encourage their social health. This allows them to have profiles and explore events near them. It includes the elements they consider most relevant, for example on the event map it clearly indicates transport locations as well as toilets and benches. Any event they choose to attend is put on a calendar and it reminds them. There are a number of considerations of these features for their specific needs that the final project plans to include. “Panion” is an application that allows you to meet people with the same interests, it gives you the opportunity to make new friends and gives you the opportunity to meet people in your area. This is an app that has the positive aim of bringing strangers together, I think this is something older people suffering from loneliness would benefit from. From my research I can see that apps aimed at the older generation have a simple interface with clear information, I also found that there are a limited number of apps specifically..