Digital Skills for Older Adults

Canada is facing a digital skills gap that is excluding older adults from digital society. This is a significant issue for a growing older population, with projections showing that Canada’s population aged 85 and older could triple to nearly 2.5 million people by 2046. Older adults encounter significant barriers to digital literacy including limited basic digital skills, affordability issues, lack of tailored training programs, disability-assisted devices, and concerns regarding their privacy and safety online. Although efforts have been made to address the digital skills gap, they have had little success in addressing the wide-ranging needs and challenges faced by the older adult population, especially those from equity-deserving groups. As such, targeted, evidence-based interventions are needed to ensure effective design and delivery of digital skills training programs. 

This report aims to support national and local dialogue by presenting existing research on digital literacy including older adults including the latest data on the older population and barriers to digital literacy. The authors also provide insights into effective training programs and partnership opportunities.

Targeted skills training programs must account for the diverse needs of older adults, which vary by labour market participation, age-related barriers, and training needs. To address these needs, instructional digital skills training design should consider the following factors:

• Objectives: Setting clearly outlined training objectives with measurable outcomes lead to strong learning outcomes. 
• Personalized and relationship-based training models: Effective training models build on existing trust networks or new relationships that can improve learning outcomes among older adults. These approaches include peer-to-peer mentoring in one-on-one or smaller group settings, which is more effective than large classes with a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Access and connectivity: Programs should address structural barriers related to affordability and access such as providing devices and internet access, especially to low-income older adults.
• Inclusion and equity: Taking an inclusive, intersectional approach is important for meeting the needs of diverse participants. 
• Outcomes and scalability: Tracking and measurement of outcomes is a key part of skills training design. By tracking outcomes such as digital skills acquisition and confidence levels related to digital literacy, programs can use evidence-based strategies to improve future programming. 

More in-depth research is needed to support evidence-based approaches to the needs that are emerging as a result of digitization. Future research should also prioritize long-term, intersectional examinations that track progress and digital equity. Based on the insights provided in this report, the authors present recommendations for strategic direction and funding and training design. These recommendations include:

• A nationally led digital inclusion strategy for older adults.
• Align digital skills with workforce, health and aging policies.
• Use instructional, personalized and accessible delivery models.
• Use social support, intergenerational and peer training models and trusted community spaces.

Read the full report for more details about the latest research and recommendations on digital skills for older adults in Canada.