Simon Dennis, central government director at business analytics firm SAS, explains why the government needs to think about the particular needs of the elderly to avoid leaving them out in the cold.
Whether it's shopping, working or paying bills, our daily lives are increasingly taking place online. Yet as things go digital, there's a risk that older people in Britain, like my dear mother, may get left behind. Over the past five years the number of people aged 65 and over online has remained relatively static, with only between 25% and 35% using the internet according to the Oxford Internet Institute Survey 2011.
A recent report from think tank Policy Exchange, Simple Things, Done Well, recommends tackling this problem by setting up a UK wide network of 'silver sidekicks' - older, tech savvy people who would go into peoples' homes and teach them how to use the internet to make digital transactions such as renewing a driving licence or paying a utility bill. The Policy Exchange report recognises that in order to deliver better, faster public services online, the government must pay special attention to older people who often prefer face-to-face contact when carrying out activities such as bill paying, food shopping or managing money. My own mother is never sure that when she presses "send" the "letter" has actually reached me via email. I have many, many copies to prove it has and she will smile as she reads this - I hope.
The fact that people are living longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives is good news for society. However, as the average age of Brits increases, it also raises serious questions about how we can adapt to meet the needs of an older population. In particular, we must consider how we can ensure that there is a two-way dialogue between seniors and the state.
We recently commissioned a YouGov study into the ways government could more effectively communicate with citizens. While there were mixed opinions from this age bracket in their preference for communication via email, text message and the traditional letter, a clear 78 per cent of those aged 55 and over thought government communication could be improved simply by being clearer about what it was asking from recipients - higher than any other age category surveyed. This could include correspondence telling senior citizens where and when to attend a hospital appointment, or a letter with information about their current benefit entitlements. My mother logs into her email every day and, with four grandchildren, is faster at SMS than me!
At 16.4 per cent of the population, and with this figure set to grow further, the elderly are a hugely important demographic segment for the government, arguably requiring more public services than other sections of society, especially when it comes to health and social care. It is therefore imperative that the government is doing all it can to ensure that its communication with senior citizens is working, especially as the elderly are most at risk of becoming isolated.
Analysing the huge volumes of information, commonly referred to as big data, about this age bracket that government already has on file is the first step to truly understanding their needs. Also important is that this data is effectively shared by government - for example, across departments and at local and central government level. Imagine letting your GP know that you like to be reminded by text about your appointments, only for this to be reflected by the benefits office and your care worker too! Knocking down the silos currently in place in the public sector will be a challenge, but with the right care and attention it is achievable, and will have a significant impact on the services government offers to us citizens.
Knowing the right channels and the right ways to communicate with the UK's elderly could drastically improve their experience of public services. However, we should remember that this is only a subset of the population. In the future we should see this tailored communication capability applied to Britain's population as a whole.
Isn't that right Mum?