Seniors.
Promote the healthy ageing of older people through the use of tools that make it possible to contact this group with new technologies.
In a rural context, with a large percentage of the ageing population, it is necessary to answer the needs of promoting their quality of life, to relieve loneliness and to familiarize themselves with digital tools.
The target group was the elderly population. The activity was carried out with 20 participants. There was the collaboration of the City of Benavides, the Association of Retired and Pensioners and the Telecentre of the town.
The municipality and the association collaborated in the dissemination and providing the infrastructure: place of celebration, computers.
The project was proposed from an active/participative methodology from the beginning. For this purpose, the Association of Retired Persons of the locality was contacted in order to present the project and to make their contributions.
Telecenter staff supported people who had no computer skills. We propose the periodicity of the sessions as well as their duration, one day a week for 90 minutes, This activity took place during the year except for the holiday periods of Christmas, Holy Week and Summer.
From the association they disseminated the activity to their partners.
These sessions were used to discuss topical issues and commemorate international dates such as October 1, Older Persons’ Day, 8M, International Women’s Day or 25N, Day Against Gender Violence, through exercises based on these themes, talk or video forum.
The contents are structured in three areas, the cognitive area, which revolves around a memory workshop where tasks are offered so that the user exercises his brain and, in this way, can prevent memory problems.
The body, which aims to provide the user to the importance of maintaining healthy lifestyle habits to achieve or maintain a good health. To do this, healthy recipes and different exercise are offered.
The socio-emotional area provides tools aimed at fostering social contact through social networks so that they can exchange experiences, meet other people, thus avoiding isolation and loneliness.
The contents were worked with the computer.
An evaluation of the activity was carried out at the end of each period. Each participant covered a form asking for their opinion on the material and content aspects worked, as well as the dynamics and communication capacity of the person responsible for the activity.
The different aspects of the evaluation were discussed with the group.
The impact on the people involved was very positive, both in terms of quality of life, adopting healthy habits, expanding their social relations, their knowledge of the environment, exercising their physical and mental abilities and accessing new technologies.
All this has a positive impact on family and social relationships in general.
It was an important effort for the participants, to adapt with regard to IT tools. We must think that some of the people did not know how to handle the computer. Therefore, there was an approach to the technological world, of which they heard but did not know. It was the support and understanding of the professionals and the desire of the elderly to improving mentally. All these elements, together, facilitated The action.
The biggest obstacle was the fear of the unknown, the computer as a tool. It is necessary to work patiently familiarization with him so that no one is excluded.
In some cases it was necessary to strengthen the work of computer handling.
The key message is that older people can, in general, access to the digital world as long as they are not under pressure in learning and find that they learn is practical, both personally and socially.
From an economic, social and environmental point of view, the project is sustainable, as it does not require particularly high investments and does not entail significant energy consumption; it is necessary to have public spaces with internet connection, computers and a worker who develops the activity. In terms of content, resources available on the internet can be used, both from public administrations and from other entities.
The benefit obtained in terms of the well-being of people, their quality of life, the detection and prevention of loneliness and other situations of need, far outweighs the expense that can be generated.
As we have pointed out, the project can be replicated in any locality with internet connection, a computer or a tablet and a space to meet in.
CEAS ÓRBIGO
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