Summary
The OITO Project intervention’s methodology was to aim to provide digital literacy and skills for adults aged 55 and over. The intervention was carried out using the participants' smartphones or tablets. The program comprised eight workshops (OITO, in Portuguese). Each workshop lasted approximately 1.5 hours, subdivided into digital activity, physical activity, and “conversation circle”. The digital activity encompassed a group of applications ("apps") that were chosen based on levels of stimulation and learning skills, namely: (1) Definition or Configuration app and E-mail app to train touch and manual dexterity in mobile use (Definition or Configuration app), and to train touch and device handling in mobile use as a motor skills stimulation (E-mail app); (2) WhatsApp and Camera apps in multiple forms of communication (text, image, voice, and video) for exploratory capacity; and (3) Gallery or Google Photos, YouTube and Google Fit to share pictures, video, and information, as interactive tasks, and to do activities autonomously with distance guidance as autonomy and cooperation characteristics conquest. The trainer and monitors did not touch the participants’ mobile devices but indicated where the participant should press. This allowed participants to use their devices independently instead of just observing or relying on someone doing it for them. The physical activity moment consisted of standing exercises to stimulate circulation and balance training. The “conversation circle” consisted of participants, a trainer, and monitors reporting their perception of the day's activities. During my postdoctoral scholarship, this project was financed by Population Health Domain in ICVS/School of Medicine/University of Minho.
Planning and Implementation
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What was the challenge you were trying to address?
Initially, to show that in eight workshops, the elderly can learn to use technology or improve their skills in using mobile devices, making them more autonomous. And during the project, other barriers were perceived in addition to learning, such as motivation and motor and cognitive skills that we managed to overcome.
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Who were you trying to impact?
Older people in general, Older people with chronic health conditions or disability
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What sectors were you targeting?
Education, Health, Information and Communication
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Who else was involved?
Government, Civil Society Organization, Academia
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How did older people participate?
Older people were part of the process at multiple or all stages
Lessons learned
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Please describe how collaboration worked in your initiative.
The University of Minho (Academia) financed my post-doctoral scholarship with resources from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the OITO project costs through the ICVS Health Populations Domain of the School of Medicine of the same University. The Civil Society Organizations (Couração Project in Paredes de Coura, Vida Feliz Project in Guimarães) and Government (Municipal Library in Barcelos) were the links between the University and the older population in each municipality.
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What was the impact of your initiative on older people, their families, and/or their communities?
The older people who participated continue to communicate through online groups, have already participated in other activities proposed through digital means, and feel empowered. What we were able to observe is that families can use technological resources to share both health documents and photographs with older people. And as a community, the older people became aware of other events and workshops aimed at this population, encouraging them to interact socially.
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What issues did you face, and how did you address them?
I consider two main problems: finding older people with mobile devices and many who do old equipment without the possibility of including applications, for example. The first problem was circumvented by expanding disclosure to cell phone operators, where seniors seek help when they need it, as well as other establishments. Because the equipment does not allow the installation of other applications, we adapt the workshops to existing applications. And this problem became a motivation for them to acquire their mobile device.
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What lessons did you learn from implementing this initiative?
1) Older people need to be encouraged to learn technology. 2) It is always worth teaching to older people. 3) Resources are needed to reach the most isolated older people.
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Do you have any other reflections you would like to share?
The use of technology is not just for the cognitively healthy but can be a valuable tool for stimulation. My doctoral thesis was a clinical trial with cognitive stimulation through computers connected to the internet (Oficina da Lembrança). It showed an improvement in the cognitive state within three months of intervention. Action plans could be created so that technology can reach isolated older people. The use of mobile devices beyond social networks to promote physical and mental health.