[Economic Observation] How to let the elderly enjoy the digital dividend
Data from the 7th National Population Census showed that the population of my country aged 60 and above is 264 million, accounting for 18.7% of the total population, and the aging of the population has further deepened.
The 48th "Statistical Report on China's Internet Development Status" released by the China Internet Network Information Center shows that as of June 2021, my country's Internet users aged 60 and above accounted for only 12.2% of the total Internet users.
Under the "silver wave", how to let the elderly enjoy the dividends generated by the popularization of digital technology has become an important issue facing the information age.
Some economists pointed out that improving services and facilitating life are one of the most important benefits of digital technology.
With your fingers, you can shop online and order takeaway without leaving your home; before you travel, you can book a special car to wait in advance; when you eat in a restaurant, you can scan the QR code to order and receive coupons... Thanks to the development of information technology , Daily life is more convenient.
However, many operations that are familiar to young people are a "digital divide" that is difficult to bridge for the elderly.
There are frequent cases where people are denied access to public transportation because they can’t scan the health code, and they can only queue up on the spot because they can’t register online when seeing a doctor. This reflects the embarrassing situation of the elderly in the digital society.
The elderly should not be outsiders in the digital age.
With the acceleration of the aging process of our country’s population, the promotion of smart elderly care, making digital products more suitable for the elderly, enabling information services to help the elderly, and allowing the elderly to enjoy the digital dividend is to enhance the sense of acquisition, happiness, and security of the elderly. Break the problem direction.
First of all, we must conscientiously implement the "Implementation Plan on Effectively Solving the Difficulties of the Elderly in Using Intelligent Technology" issued by the General Office of the State Council, pay attention to the daily life of the elderly, and focus on high-frequency matters and services such as travel, medical treatment, consumption, entertainment, and errands for the elderly. Scenes to promote smarter services for the elderly to be more convenient.
Secondly, under the guidance of the "Smart Health and Elderly Care Industry Development Action Plan (2021-2025)" issued by the relevant state departments, we must vigorously develop the smart health and elderly care industry, and improve product supply, data applications, health management, elderly care services, and intelligence for the elderly. The use of technology and public service capabilities to create new products, new formats and new models for smart, healthy and elderly care.
Third, letting the elderly enjoy the digital dividend is inseparable from the joint actions of enterprises and units related to the wisdom of helping the elderly to provide for the elderly.
Online, it is necessary to continue to carry out the aging and barrier-free transformation of Internet applications. Commonly used apps should continue to introduce operating modes suitable for the elderly, simplify procedures, and push information that conforms to the habits of the elderly; offline, community assistance to the elderly should be at home The door provides mobile phone training for the elderly, and is equipped with a dedicated person to guide the use of smart terminals to get through the "last hundred meters" of helping the elderly.
Finally, the intelligentization of home care services is also an important part of improving the happiness of the elderly.
It is necessary to vigorously develop smart home care services, so that "electronic nanny", "family elderly care beds", "smart assisting restaurants" and other integrated applications such as the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other new generation of information technology continue to improve the lives of the elderly. And will be further applied in the future.
Under the premise of policy guidance, industry support, and social linkage, family responsibilities cannot be absent either.
Young people need to be more patient and caring, and build a new model of intergenerational interaction based on smart old-age care methods to ensure that the elders are not left behind in the digital age.
In short, only by jointly creating an inclusive digital environment and a warm digital life can the elderly truly enjoy the digital dividend and enjoy a more comfortable and secure old age.
Reporter Shi Lanna