Social isolation in old age: The impacts on those who are not used to the new digital tools

In the last week, Brazil was forced to stop. The impacts of the new coronavirus are greater than we imagined, and society has taken a step backwards, in an attempt to contain the pandemic that is spreading worldwide. Following WHO recommendations, people should avoid going out on the streets – except for essential jobs or for the purchase of food or medicines – and, when necessary, they must remain precise in their goals, follow all hygiene recommendations and stay out of as little as possible, always avoiding agglomerations. Companies changed their daily office routine for work at home, schools and universities suspended their activities or opted for distance education (EaD) and even churches decided to hold their services and masses online. This text is intended to reflect on a portion of society that is not so used to new technology tools, and was inserted in a context where they are the only option for interaction: the seniors.

Everyone is connected

According to a survey conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) in 2018, about 21.872 million people residing in Brazil were over 65 years old. Currently, more than 28 million Brazilians are part of the elderly and a quarter of this population is already online, following as “the group that grows the most in social network”. In the last few years, people over 60 have already understood the need for the appropriation of technology tools and online life to accompany digital advances, and many elderly people look for specific courses seeking to stay informed and able to socialize in this environment. However, it is necessary to take into account that the digital inclusion of the elderly comprises a different process, when compared to that of children and young people: the elderly, for the most part, need more time to handle and assimilate the functionalities of technological devices.

I think as a function of the government to cooperate for this integration, including as a necessity in public policies for the elderly. An example: the Amazonas Public Security Secretariat (SSP-AM) had open enrollment in a digital inclusion project aimed at the elderly in Manaus, providing for 16 classes in different shifts. It is worth remembering that digital inclusion has been discussed previously on the IRIS blog and in our research projects, highlighting the differences between access, digital literacy and appropriation of these technologies.

It is necessary to think not only of the elderly who are not used to digital instruments, but also of those who live alone and have no help with the use and understanding of these technologies. For better understanding and ease in proposing solutions, we will divide the elderly who have smartphones into two groups: those who have been connected for some time and are familiar with social networks and digital tools, and those who recently chose to join this medium . Possibly, those who are still familiarizing themselves with the devices need an initial aid for use. A very useful tool in this process is the iDosos application, which was developed to help those who are learning to use the basic functions of a smartphone and has the use of emojis in the tutorials, making it even easier to understand.

News sharing in times of crisis

In the current Brazilian scenario, in which the population is in social isolation as a way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the internet offers an environment full of possibilities for entertainment and leisure, helping in the physical distance between family groups and friends. However, is everyone aware of the negative and dangerous side of this medium? The behavior of Internet users over the age of 60 tends to be more carefree, making them more prone to misinformation and easy targets for online scams.

According to a survey conducted by the Credit Protection Service (SPC Brazil) and by the National Confederation of Shopkeepers (CNDL), in October 2016, the online behavior of the elderly is mostly composed of relationships with family members (62.9%) and friends ( 59.8%), the search for news about economics, politics, sports and fashion (47.8%) and information about products and services (43.0%). However, in the past two years it has become clear that people use Whatsapp as one of the main sources of news. Extreme caution is needed when sharing information on social networks, as the spread of false content through them is gigantic. A study by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows that 70% of fake news on the internet is more likely to be shared, and spread six times faster than real news. The newspaper Estado de Minas, in the column #praentender, made an informative video about the impacts that misinformation about the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic can cause.

Conclusion

The pandemic is expected to last for a few months. Meanwhile, we keep following the news – always respecting our limits and taking care of mental health with care -, doing our part to reduce the impacts of the virus. We also continue to work to live comfortably within the necessary limitations, being empathetic to those who are not familiar with the information, communication and digital entertainment resources being provided and helping them to make the best use of it.

Follow the IRIS profile on Instagram and the Facebook page, where we are posting content aimed at helping the good use of the internet, as well as important information to keep us aware of the challenges of the online environment and the dissemination of news in times of crisis.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors.
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