Older people and technology: Time to smarten up our act

Abstract

The NHS faces challenges today that it was not designed to tackle at its conception in 1948. The UK demographic has changed considerably with higher life expectancy and 'an ageing population'. Keeping this demographic healthy through prevention and management of age-related degeneration is crucial to their independence and improving resource utilisation. The Department of Health and Social Care's agenda for digital transformation of the NHS is facilitating a move towards preventative healthcare and greater community care, which will likely be supported by virtual healthcare delivery models. Despite views on digital illiteracy in the older population, this demographic may stand to benefit the most. Research has shown that the older demographic adopts technology in line with the technology acceptance model if their needs are carefully considered. Executed successfully, the deployment of virtual healthcare could save transformational costs to the NHS and support better quality of life for the senior members of society. This is particularly relevant in the current COVID-19 pandemic with patients facing challenges in accessing outpatient appointments. With many hospitals kickstarting virtual outpatient clinics to ensure continuity of care during a time of social isolation; we await to see the ingenuities that arise from the current pandemic.