Recently while visiting my mother, a Type-II diabetic, I noticed several things about her health and dietary behavior. But, what started out as casual observations about her health issues became a real interest in learning about other areas of life and why she wasn’t getting much-needed information and help that could improve her quality of life. Her’s is not a solitary story, but a generational one and a problem I wanted to get to the bottom of.
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I was frustrated to learn that the apparent lack of access to pertinent health information is a symptom of a greater problem 55+ population. The idea of being ‘older and wiser’ may be true in terms of life-experience but the speed and methods of information that is dispensed today, particularly in areas of health and wellness is at a quicker rate than ever. This information gap seems to be emanating from a generational digital divide and intimidation of the current computer and internet technology as was indicated in a recent study in France as well as a Pew report below.
65+ are the most under-served age group for important medical info online
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Everyday there are new health breakthroughs especially in the areas of longevity and aging. It’s at the point now where access to vital information is no longer a luxury, but an absolute necessity. For example, because of a terminal lung-disorder, my father-in-law was able to participate in an experimental drug trial for a new medication that my husband found out about only after researching it on the web. It seemed to me that his pulmonologist would have known about this first, however even many doctors, especially older ones are at risk of being caught in this information gap.
The solution starts with helping older adults with computer literacy. A trend towards “reverse mentoring” is being implemented in some workplaces such as GE, HP and Cisco. This method allows older adults, in this case, executives or older workers to team up with younger adults to be ‘tutored’ in recent technologies and social media among other things. This method can extend into the retirement population as community centers are now offering classes and workshops in everything from computer literacy to how to use smartphones. There are now online resources for the rest of us in helping our older family members and friends in getting up to speed on these devices.
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Those of us with this valuable knowledge can help close the ‘digital divide’ that may exist for many older adults we care for. It can have life-saving consequences and result in a better quality of life. Case in point: my father-in-law was not only able to connect with and participate in that clinical trial, he helped advance the research necessary toward pending FDA approval for this much awaited medication. Furthermore, he found his condition was nearly halted by the success of the drug and now he’s able to enjoy more time with his family and silly pics of the grandkid’s via email.
You may be aware of the recent and rather innovative green initiative the Obama administration put forward this summer: the Car Allowance Rebate System (cars), colloquially known as the Cash for Clunkers program, in which owners of old, gas guzzling cars bring their clunkers in and get a rebate on a brand new and more efficient model. The program was meant to run from July 1st through November of this year, 2009, but ran out of funding due to its popularity. Last week, $2 billion of federal incentives were added to the previously $1 billion program. 
