The Twin Challenges of Information Technology and Population Aging

The current cohort of older people has the unique experience of being part of the population aging trend that is occurring during the shift to what has been referred to as the information economy. The issue is whether one trend will dominate the other. So, older people wonder if they will actually benefit or lose from the technology that is fueling the transformation of the economy, making it global, informationbased, and around-the-clock. WHY IS TECHNOLOGY SUCH AN ISSUE? Technology has been defined as anything created since you were born. So why is technology such an issue now? It is because, first, the nature of technology has changed and, second, the transformation has been very rapid. Every age has its technology While the industrial era relied on mechanical devices that enhanced physical capabilities, the information age proposes electronic devices that extend the potential of the human brain, thereby redefining human potential itself. Not only skill but also knowledge is required to benefit from information technology. Furthermore, electronic advances have occurred so rapidly that almost all our activities are affected by this new technology in some way. For example, in I99o, the typical home had roughly seventy-five controller chips (which manage a complex series of operations when the user chooses a desired result by pushing a button or turning a dial), while the estimate for the year 2000 is zzs such chips. UNDERSTANDING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY The spread of information technology was rapid because it builds on industrial technology, with which people are familiar. When information technology is combined with products or services of industrial technology, these products or services are often called "intelligent" or "smart." Smart products allow us to push a single button and let the product make all the decisions required. Thus, for example, if a "pots and pans" cycle is selected on a dishwasher, the choices of water temperature and soak and wash time will be determined automatically by the machine. When applied to products and services, both industrial technology and information technology can be of value to everyone (Table i). Consumers adopt technology that is useful throughout the life cycle, and several of these products encourage independent living in later life. While industrial technology improves the performance of activities of everyday life, information technology enhances quality of life and awareness of the world at large. Together, industrial and information technologies enable older people to participate in the workplace, marketplace, and society in ways never before considered possible. People can perform functions even when they lack the strength and sensory acuity required for the task and, through electronic communication, can be free from time and effort spent on travel. TECHNOLOGY AND OLDER PEOPLE Before determining the impact of such technology on older people and their potential impact on technology, it is important to understand the many interfaces between older people and information technology. These interfaces arise from the use of technology by four types of users: consumers, including elders; informal caregivers; formal, or professional, caregivers; and elderly or disabled people who require care or special services (Table 2). The microwave oven and the garage-door opener have gained quick market penetration because of their utility to large segments of the population, including older people. Informal caregivers are provided both physical and emotional support through technology. For example, technological aids help a family member to perform tasks like lifting, and informal caregivers can be assisted by support groups through the Internet when they cannot leave the house. They can communicate with professionals and receive step-by-step visual instructions for a task. The use of technology for the care of older people by formal caregivers and professionals can facilitate case management, lighten the physical labor of care, increase the efficiency of services, and improve the quality of care. …