The elderly and the digital inclusion: A brief reference to the initiatives of the European union and Portugal

Abstract

Abbreviations: AAL, ambient assisted living; ENILD, national strategy for inclusion and digital literacy; HCI, human-computer interaction; TRA, theory of reasoned action; TAM, technology acceptance model; MM, motivational model; TPB, theory of planned behavior; CTPB-TAM, combined theory of planned behavior/ technology acceptance model; MPCU, model of pc utilization; IDT, innovation diffusion theory; SCT, social cognitive theory; UTAUT, unified theory of acceptance and use of technology The ageing process: the reality and prospects in the European Union and Portugal The economic growth that has taken place has made it possible for citizens to access more and better health care, to have the possibility of eating healthy, to enjoy better conditions for sports, which has enabled the growth of life expectancy especially in the most developed countries. In the opposite direction, there was a decrease in the number of births which translated into a low fertility rate. These two phenomena evolved in reverse and as a result we have witnessed a progressive aging within the most developed countries. According to EU projections 1 EU-28 countries will rise from 512 million in 2018 to around 525 million in 2044 with a slight decrease in 2050. For older people (65+years) its increase will rise from 101 million in 2018 to about 149 million in the year 2050. However, older citizens aged 75-84 will grow by an estimated 60.5% while citizens aged 65-74 will increase by 17.6%. On the opposite, by the year 2050 there will be only 9.6% of EU-28 citizens under 55 years. These projections show the relative importance of the very old (85+ years) that is growing at a faster pace than any other age group dur to its increase from 13.8 million in 2018 to 31,8 million by 2050. 1 Figure 1 presents an overview of the people aged 55+ years, by age class during the period 2018-2050: The Figure 1 presents the projections by country that allows observing that by 2050 citizens aged 55+years will represent almost half of the population of Portugal (47.1%) as the most serious example of the process of ageing across the EU-28 countries. In this sense, and as a result of this progressive aging process, the projections of the EU-28 point to a population aged 0-14 at 15% by 2070. Conversely, the population aged 65+years will reach 29% of the total population and the population aged 80+years will represent around 13%. 2 In order to clarify all the previous statements the Figure 2 presents the age and gender pyramid for the period 2016-2070 to clarify the progressive aging process in the EU-28 with the already referenced accelerated increase for older citizens. Overall this reality has brought about another consequence at the level of the so-called old-age dependency ratio i.e. aged people 65+years relative to those aged 15-64. For the EU-28 an increase of 21.6 pps is projected. This value is the result of the 29.6% increase in 2016 to 51.2% in the year 2070. In practice it will mean that there will be on average 2 seniors for only 1 active citizen we will also have to be mindful of the significant increase in the population with 85+years. According to those projections Portugal will have the old-dependency ratio exceed 35 pps over the projection horizon. 2 Abstract Background: The world and Europe, in particular, are aging very fast, and in the same vein, digitization is moving very quickly into citizens' routines. Given the fact that the elderly are the largest group of citizens who are info-excluded, this reality is worrying because it will quickly make them socially excluded. This article briefly presents the main initiatives of the European Union and Portugal to promote greater and faster digital inclusion of the elderly people. In the final section, there is a critical reflection on technology acceptance Model, the concept of universal design and usability in order to propose clues and strategies that can and/or may facilitate the use and access of technologies and digital resources by the elderly.