2016 July Newsletter – Helping Elderly to Embrace Smartphone

The Hong Kong Society for the Aged (SAGE) has conducted a survey in December 2013 about the usage of smartphone by elderly. They have successfully interviewed 887 elderly ages above 60. The survey had the following findings:

– Close to 60% of the respondents had never used a smartphone

– About 50% of the respondents said that smartphone is too difficult to use

– Another 30% of respondents said that smartphone was too expensive for them

For those current and “to be” smartphone users, almost 100% like to use smartphone. The reason they use smartphone is to communicate with family and friend.

How to help elderly to embrace smartphone?

1. Start with the first barrier, “smartphone is too difficult to use”. Smartphone has no real keyboard that elderly can touch and feel. To make it easier for them, you can install some “Phone Dialer” APP. After setting up, elderly can make a call by simply tapping on the photo of the person they want to call.  Another “killer application” is WhatsApp. Older people often miss their overseas family members, especially their grand son and grand daughter. With WhatsApp, they could communicate with overseas family members by short messages, getting promptly response even there are time zone difference. They could also make free long distance calls by WhatsApp. Perhaps the most exciting thing is to make video call by using Skype. Once they experience the fun of WhatsApp and Skype, they could not stop using this amazing communication tool.

                                             Skype Video Call                                    Photo Dialer

2. For those who are keen to learn more, they can read a book “Computer Guidebook for the Elderly – Android Smartphone”, published by the Hong Kong Society for the Aged (SAGE) in 2013. Written in Chinese with many illustrations, this is the first smartphone guidebook dedicated to local seniors. In 2016 April, SAGE published a more advance guidebook on smartphone usage. New contents include Cantonese input, What Apps, Google map and Google+ Photo Album. If you wish to buy a copy, please contact 2110-5650.