REDUCING DIGITAL DIVIDES AS А COMPONENT OF SOCIAL WORK WITH ELDERLY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/humanitas/2022.3.4Keywords:
digital divide, digital inequality, digital competence, elderly learners, digital empowerment, strengthsbased approachAbstract
The development of the information society has led to the emergence of digital divides, which are considered evidenceі of digital inequality and digital exclusion. The objectives of the study is to characterize the specifics of the use of digital technologies by the elderly and to determine the means of digital empowerment of people of this age group. The study uses a modified model of the British researcher E. Helspers (2012), which includes the characteristics of the availability of digital resources. Within the framework of the study, a survey was conducted of 407 clients of the territorial center of social service (provision of social services) of the Podilsky District of Poltava, among whom there are learners from so called the University of the Third Age. The analysis of respondents’ answers provides grounds for distinguishing such factors of the digital divide of the elderly as: economic, social, technical, infrastructural, language factor, as well as the factor of knowledge, abilities and skills (digital competences), which have different degrees of manifestation. The article defines that social work with the elderly to reduce the impact of digital divides. It should include a set of measures, initiatives, strategies used to overcome the effects of social and digital exclusivity mechanisms in order to ensure the full participation of elderly individuals in the life of the information society. The expediency of using an innovative method – an approach focused on the strengths of clients, in order to reduce the impact of digital gaps on elderly clients is justified. Attention is focused on the application of such technologies in social work with the elderly during digital inclusion as case management and mutual help groups, the importance of a harmonious combination of individual and group work methods is emphasized. The article provides recommendations on the organization of socio-geragogical work with elderly clients of the territorial center for digital equipment.
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