New technologies have potential to help elderly people live independently

The population of the UK is ageing. Sixteen per cent of the UK population is 65 or older, and for the first time, there are more people over the age of 65 than there are under the age of 18. This raises a lot of questions on issues such as pension provision, health care and wellbeing. Ensuring that elderly people have access to medical and social support; the use of new technologies to make it easier for them to live independent lives; and helping the elderly to stay active within society.  These are issues discussed during the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) Festival of Social Science (12-21 March).

Loneliness and the lack of independence are major issues for many old people. New technologies have enormous potential to help elderly people live independently. However, many are not aware of the benefits, do not know how to use and engage with digital technologies or simply don't feel confident enough to use it. As one person put it, "My computer is in cobwebs." At 'Improving everyday life: getting connected to public services' older people will talk about their personal experiences with digital technologies and their applications, and how these helped them be less isolated and more independent. IT taster sessions will be offered to the elderly to encourage them to explore new technologies, and local service providers will demonstrate how their services can be accessed and requested online.

For many old people, their quality of life is also affected by poor health. Currently there are 800,000 people with dementia in the UK: the most common being Alzheimer's disease. Behind these facts and figures are individuals and families learning to live with the condition and get on with their lives. Stereotypes about people are however often negative and disabling. In the spirit of one person with dementia who says

"Positivity is my greatest weapon", the event promotes a more balanced and positive perspective on dementia. At 'Dementia: don't fear it' two people with dementia who are active campaigners will speak about their experiences and views. Images and interviews from an ongoing research project on how and why some people with dementia become campaigners or change agents will stimulate a debate with a Q & A session.

The media play a major role in shaping people's attitudes. The way old people are portrayed in the media influence the way we think about them. But what do we actually think about ageism? The European Social Survey (ESS) database collects and stores information on the social attitudes of thousands of residents across Europe. The 'What do the British think about… Ageism, Welfare and Political Institutions' is an event aimed at journalists. The event will demonstrate the range of data freely accessible through the ESS database and explain how to access and use it. Data on individual states as well as comparative data can be quickly and easily gathered. By better understanding social science data, it is hoped that stereotypes will be challenged.