Join an exploration into using digital technology to help prepare for later life

I'm shortly helping run a workshop at the RSA on how digital technology can help us address both the challenges and opportunities that getting older presents, and I'm keen to connect with any Fellows or staff interested in the issues.

The workshop - on the morning of October 23 - is part of a wider open exploration with the Nominet Trust, which you can read about here. We are developing some provocations like these on an open Google doc, which we will explore further at the workshop.

• Think about how technology may be useful in a wide range of situations, for different people, later in life – rather than “technology for older people”
• Having a lifetime of experience may leave some people fixed in their ways, and others with inspiration and time for new explorations. Attitude to life may influence attitudes to technology.
• We can use technology anytime in life to support activities for well-being, like connecting, being active, taking notice, keeping on learning and contributing. The focus later in life will be shaped by circumstances, personal interests and attitudes.
• Long familiarity with older technologies like television may provide easy routes for using developments that extend their use. However, familiarity with mobile phones may lead to the easy adoption of tablets. Where people lack confidence, start with something they already understand.
• The open, sharing nature of social networks may not appeal to people more used to a culture of keeping things to themselves, friends and family. On the other hand, there may be some experiences people now feel ready to share if there is trusted space to do that.
• The challenge of making the benefits of technology easy to understand, and devices easy to use, is important for all ages. Older people may be a good place to explore what works well.

If you are interested in attending the workshop, do please get in touch - david@socialreporter.com. Added: direct signup now here.

In any case, you can join us at our new social learning network.

Our last exploration with Nominet Trust, about digital technology and young people, led to a £2 million investment challenge.

I hope that the topic is of interest - and perhaps also the form of the exploration, which combines crowdsourcing ideas, and an online discussion, with a workshop. We hope that the process will help develop a stronger network of people around the issues, with the opportunity to connect with others across different disciplines and sectors. Maybe it's a model for exploring other topics of interest to Fellows.

Do please join in at through the link above - or drop a comment below, and I'll add it to our document.