connectivity will be increasingly crucial to the health ... · of the ageing population. it should...

Connectivity will be increasingly

crucial to the health and wellbeing

of the ageing population.

It should be considered in a holistic way which includes physical mobility, transport, the built environment, the virtual world and the physical virtual intersection.

Policy Implication 7.1

Physical, social & technological connectivity

A large proportion of older people ‘feel

lonely some of the time or often’, with

the oldest being most likely to feel this

way.

The proportion of people feeling lonely some of the time or often by age group and gender in the UK 2009-2010

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

50-59 60-69 70-79 80+

MenGender: Women

Prop

orti

on o

f peo

ple

feel

ing

lone

ly (

%)

Age group (years)

Source: ILC (2015) The links between social connections and wellbeing in later life

7.1a

Different age groups have

particular challenges remaining

well-connected.

Transport and other mobility policies should be sensitive to this diversity and to the growing numbers of older people living in rural and semi-rural areas.



7.2a

Travel habits change over the life

course, with method and distance

travelled changing.

Miles travelled per person per year by age and purpose, England, 2014

50-59 60-69 70+

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Other HolidayVisit friendsShopping

Dis

tanc

e tr

avel

led

(tho

usan

ds o

f mile

s)

Age (years)

Purpose of travel:

Commuting/business

Source: ONS (2015) Travel by age and gender (NTS06)


7.2b

All parts of the UK are ageing but the

effect will be most pronounced in small

towns and rural areas.

Projected percentage change in size of age groups, 2012-2037 for five settlement types, UK

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

0-14 15-29 30-49 50-69 70+ All ages

Major Cities Large Cities Small Cities Large Towns

Age (years)

Settlement type:

Small Towns and Rural

Perc

enta

ge c

hang

e in

siz

e of

set

tlem

ent (

%)

Source: Champion, T. (2015) Foresight evidence review


7.2c

As people enter older age groups

they become more dependent on

other people for transport

Proportion of distance travelled per person per mode of transport by age group, England, 2014

Prop

orti

on o

f dis

tanc

e tr

avel

led

by m

ode

(%)

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0All ages 50-59 60-69 70+

Other RailBusCar PassengerCar DriverWalk/Cycle

Age (years)

Transport mode:

Source: ONS (2015) Travel by age and gender (NTS06)

Design of the built environment

can enable older people to

access their neighbourhood and

surrounding areas, leading to

increased activity levels, better

health, and improved quality of life.

The built environment is most likely to facilitate this if it is underpinned by inclusive design, and considers the needs of all users.



Factors throughout a journey, from

planning to arrival, determine how it

is experienced and how likely a person

is to repeat it. For example, inclusively

designed buses are less likely to be

used if the pavement next to the bus

stop is poorly maintained and does not

allow easy access.

Source: DCLG (2011) Lifetime neighbourhoods

7.3a


Older people report various factors

that impact on access to their

wider neighbourhood including

lack of seating and public toilets,

the condition of pavements, lack of

provision of local shops, fear of crime,

fear of going out after dark, lack of

space for community activities, and

major roads acting as barriers

Source: Southway Housing Trust (2013) Old Moat: Age-friendly Neighbourhood Report

7.3b

Technology can help to provide the

solutions to challenges faced by

the ageing population, and help to

realise the benefits of longer lives.

Barriers that need to be addressed include a lack of skills and access, high cost, and older people’s assumptions about technology’s usefulness and affordability.



Different socio-economic groups have

different levels of internet use at work.

If Information and Communications technology skills become increasingly

necessary in more jobs in future, individuals may need to up skill.

Manager & professional Clerical Blue collar

100

80

60

40

20

0

% o

f cur

rent

use

rs w

ho w

ork

Learn skills Collaborate Meet colleagues

Meetings Update Facebook

68

6265

47

32

17

47

27

7

27

9

43

30 32

24

Internet activities at work by occupation

Source: Oxford Internet Surveys (2013) Cultures of the Internet: The Internet in Britain

7.4a


In areas such as mid-Wales and

West Scotland, older than average

populations coincide with areas with

poor Internet connectivity.

Sources: Ofcom (2013) UK Fixed Broadband Map | ONS (2014) Subnational population projections for England: 2012-based

UK Fixed Broadband Map 2013 showing overall broadband performance by administrative authority

Projected proportion of population aged 65 and over in UK local authorities, 2037

1 - Best2345 - Worst

<15%15 to <=30>30%

RANK

7.4b


Older people disproportionately live

in rural areas which often have poorer

levels of internet speed.

Source: Ofcom (2013) UK Fixed Broadband Map | ONS (2013) 2011 Census: Population and household estimates for the United Kingdom, March 2011

Shropshire

Milton Keynes Cumbria CountyNorth

Lincolnshire Rutland Herefordshire

County DurhamEngland Su�olk County Northumberland

76.1% 16.4% 9.3% 62.5% 18% 13.7% 59.1% 19.9% 13.7% 49.6% 20% 13.8% 30.3% 20.7% 14.8%

82% 11% 15% 26% 20.6% 16.3% 54.3% 17.4% 16.6% 7.2% 20.9% 17.6%

% of populationwith availableNext Generationaccess (NGA)

% of population who have modem sync speeds less than 2.2 Mbit/s

% of population 65 years +

33.8% 21.3% 18%

Areas in England with highest rates of access to less than 2 Mbits/s, 2013

7.4c


There is a “digital differentiation” in

access and uptake in the population

associated with age, socio-economic

status, gender and disability.

Differences in access/uptake may reduce benefits of technology to older

people, but also may reduce benefits throughout the population.

Source: Nominet Trust (2011) Ageing and the use of the internet

Home internet access, by age, socio-economic group and gender

UK

7073

7880 80

83

85 85

63

44

51

2023

8588

7980

6871

4954

7175

69 7269

15-24 25-34 35-54 55-64 65-74 AB C1 C2 DE Male Female75+

% w

ho u

se th

e in

tern

et

Age Socio-economic group Gender

0

20

40

60

80

100

2009 2010

7.4c


ICT use is increasing in older age.

Generational differences may remain,

but their nature may alter.

Source: Dutton, W. H., and Blank, G. (2013) Cultures of the Internet: The Internet in Britain, Oxford Internet Survey Report

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

% w

ho u

se th

e in

tern

et

Year

Students Employed Retired

0

20

40

60

80

100

Differences in access/uptake may reduce benefits of technology to older

people, but also may reduce benefits throughout the population.

Use by lifestage

7.4e


Retired people do not always use ICT

because it is not perceived as relevant

to their lives.

Source: Ofcom (2015) Adults’ media use and attitudes: Report 2015 | Damant, J. and Knapp, M. (2015) Foresight evidence review

55 - 64 years

43%65 - 79 years

32%79+ years

10%

However, this perception may change because of both

the cohort effect and changing technology applications.

Smart phone use in the over-65 group grew

from 2 to 17% between 2010 and 2014.

% of participants in one study who

agreed that “new technologies are very useful”

55 - 64 years

43%65 - 79 years

32%79+ years

10%

55 - 64 years

43%65 - 79 years

32%79+ years

10%

7.4f


Employed Retired

Just not interested98

96Computer no longer available

5970

Do not know how to use it57

67Privacy worries

5546

Not for people my age

6728

Bad experience with viruses

2732

Too expensive

5042

Perceptions of utility of ICT are

fundamental in determining usage

throughout the population, but there

are factors which are particular to

older people.

Source: Oxford Internet Surveys (2013) Why do some people not use the Internet?

Reasons non-users do not use the internet by lifestage

7.4g


Examples include:

Fonts, layouts and colours of

web-based applications of

some telemedicine systems.

Insu�cient “reach” of certain

monitoring and community alarm

systems (confining adults to restricted

areas within their own homes).

Bulky, cumbersome and

awkward wearable alarms.

Confusing telecare services; or

the poor sound quality of audio

equipment posing problems for

people with hearing impairments.

Technology can be hard to access or

perceived as hard to access.

Source: Damant, J., and Knapp, M. (2015) Foresight evidence review

7.4h


ICT use and ownership are positively

correlated with household income.

0

20

40

60

80

100

% w

ho u

se th

e In

tern

et

Less than£12,500

£12,500to £20,000

£20,000to £30,000

£30,000to £40,000

Over£40,000

2005 2007 2009 2011 2013

8893 93

99

58

29

58

70

83 84

Use by household income

Source: Oxford Internet Surveys (2013) Cultures of the Internet: The Internet in Britain

7.4i


Affordability and perceptions of

affordability are often rooted in long-

established spending patterns and

consumer behaviour.

Source: Damant, J., and Knapp, M. (2015) Foresight evidence review l AgeUK (2010) The Golden Economy

Many older adults, regardless of income, perceive ICT to be a

luxury and express or reveal a reluctance to spend money on

items that need continual updates and maintenance.

45% of people aged 65 years and older with the

highest income-levels had the lowest levels of

general consumption expenditure, compared to

27% of people aged 30 to 49 years.

65 years + 30 - 49 years

45% 27%

££


45% 27%

££


45% 27%

££

7.4j


Upt

ake

of fi

bre-

opti

c br

oadb

and

10%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Sweden

U.S

Denmark

UK

South Korea

Availability of fibre-optic broadband

100%90%80%70%60%50%40%30%20%0%

Government involvement in promoting usage Government

involvement in both infrastructure investment and promoting usage

Japan

Technology is market-led in the UK.

Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers (2012) “This is for everyone”: The case for universal digitisation

Despite fibre-optic broadband being available

to over 50% of the UK since 2003, by 2012 the

uptake for fibre-optic was only about 10%.

The same figures for South Korea in 2012 were

over 90% availability and about 60% uptake.

Country examples of fibre-optic rollout, 2003–2012

7.4k


There are geographical disparities in

access to high-speed Internet across

the UK.

Source: Thinkbroadband (2015) Superfast Broadband Coverage

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

100%

Superfast broadband coverage

7.4l


There has been an increasingly rapid

pace of technological change.

Annual growth of patents granted for all technologies and new generation of ICT, 2005-2012

Ann

ual p

aten

t gro

wth

rate

(%

)

Year

100

80

60

40

20

0

-20

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

All technologies New generation of ICT

Source: OECD (2015) OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2015

7.4m


Across all ages there is ‘digital

differentiation’ in technology uptake

within cohorts, with geographical

location a factor.

Percentage of internet non-users

25.0 to 29.2 (1)

20.0 to 24.9 (7)

15.0 to 19.9 (29)

10.0 to 14.9 (52)

4.8 to 9.9 (33)

Percentage ofinternet non-users (Total number of areas = 122)

Source: ONS (2014) Internet Access Quarterly Update

7.4n

Virtual connectivity is increasingly

likely to enable physical mobility

with a range of benefits for social

connections, health, wellbeing and

safety.

However, there are still likely barriers to the full realisation of these benefits.



Of over 20,000 care homes in the UK

only 4,178 (about 25%) provide access to the internet

Care homes have particularly poor

internet access.

Source: Damant, J., and Knapp, M. (2015) Foresight evidence review

7.5a


Autonomous vehicles have the potential

to increase safe transport across the life

course and prolong independent travel

later in life.

Source: Ormerod, M. et al., (2015) Foresight evidence review

7.5b

connectivity will be increasingly crucial to the health ... · of the ageing population. it should...

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