INTERNET USAGE BY THE ELDERLY IN SERBIA

Abstract

In the last decades, the problems of the elderly have attracted the attention of the scientific and wider public, thus imposing themselves as issues of public policies. The growth of interest in the elderly is conditioned by: the increasing share of the elderly in the overall population, the change of their social status as well as the development of new conceptual frames (social exclusion, marginalization, ageism). Today the elderly live in a society which is characterized by the expansion of information-communication technologies (ICT). The Internet is a means of more efficient and faster completion of various activities, satisfaction of different needs and access to social resources. On the other hand, the adoption of new technologies has taken on a different pace when it comes to the generation affiliation. That is why it is important to examine the degree to which older citizens successfully use these opportunities. The subject matter of the paper is Internet usage by the elderly. It points to the benefits the elderly are getting from Internet usage as well as the barriers they come across. Starting from the concept of the digital divide, Internet usage by the older Serbian population is analyzed. Finally, the measures to be taken to create favorable conditions for Internet usage by elderly are pointed out.