[Explanation] Mobile phone scan code to show health treasures, non-emergency appointment registration, contactless delivery...Since the epidemic, in order to reduce contact, the digitalization of various industries has developed rapidly.
But at the same time, it also makes the elderly who have difficulty in contacting the Internet become more and more distant from the rapidly developing digital society, and even affect their normal lives.
[Explanation] On December 1st, in the smart phone class at the Civic Activity Center of Huayuan Road Street, Beijing, Grandma Jiang, who was over seventy years old, was seriously learning to use her mobile phone to navigate. She has participated in this weekly course three times in a row.
Before the class, Grandma Jiang often found it difficult to move because she was not proficient in using her mobile phone.
[Concurrent] Grandma Jiang
Especially when I go to the hospital to see a doctor, I can’t scan the health code to go to the mall. Sometimes I’m anxious, sometimes I cry.
If you don't want to trouble others, you can do it yourself if you can. If you can't do it, just bear it.
[Commentary] Grandma Jiang’s "classmate", Grandpa Ma, is 76 years old and has been taking smartphone courses since 2019.
Grandpa Ma said that many elderly people are willing to take the initiative to learn to use smart phones, but lack of channels and declining memory are the biggest obstacles.
[Concurrent] Grandpa Ma
The health treasure is no problem now, it would not be possible without learning before.
Many elderly people want to (learn), and their children are busy with work.
I don’t have a good memory. I thought it would work even if I ordered a little after I finished talking, maybe I would forget it after 5 minutes and 10 minutes.
Now I am very pleased to say that today's young students are helping the elderly with science and technology, and I feel particularly welcome.
[Explanation] The young people mentioned by Grandpa Ma are volunteers who teach and answer questions for the elderly one-on-one in the classroom. They come from the volunteer service team of Beijing Foreign Studies University.
Nguyen Ching, a sophomore volunteer this year, said that as a "post-00" who grew up with the Internet, her volunteer experience made her truly realize the difficulties the elderly are facing.
[Concurrent] Ruan Qing, a volunteer at Beijing Foreign Studies University
I thought that the problems they encountered might not be too big, but in fact, after more elderly people were in contact, I found out that the software they don't use can be said to be the basic software we commonly use.
When I teach, I will meet old people. Even after teaching many times, they will forget.
It still needs an ability of empathy to understand a situation of the elderly well.
[Explanation] The smartphone class on Huayuan Road Street was founded by a science and technology charity team founded by college students to help the elderly.
Sui Mingzhe, director of the Xiyang Zaichen Charity Center and currently a graduate student, said that the "digital divide" of the elderly is a long-standing problem, and the epidemic has made the problem even more prominent.
[Concurrent] Sui Mingzhe, Director of Sunset Zaichen Charity Center
Sunset and Morning is from 2011 (initiated), we currently have 100 college volunteer service teams across the country, serving more than 200 communities every year.
We found that the elderly, whether from now or 10 years ago, are facing such a situation in which new technologies are more and more developed, but the elderly cannot keep up.
Under the influence of the epidemic this year (2020), the previous active choice (learning) has gradually transformed into a passive need.
[Commentary] Mingzhe Sui said that since 2020, driven by the epidemic, more and more communities have taken the initiative to open smartphone classes.
He called on the public to start by changing their concepts and "teaching" and "waiting for the first class" of the elderly.
[Concurrent] Sui Mingzhe, Director of Sunset Zaichen Charity Center
There are also more and more communities actively contacting us that we want to launch the sunset and morning (science and technology to help the elderly) activities.
Our class is also very obvious, the number of elderly people participating in activities is also increasing.
(Hope) Everyone can spend 10 minutes every day to teach the elderly at home to learn a little bit.
(Society) Provide more convenient and convenient channels for the elderly to use electronic products.
To enable more elderly people to adapt to our information society.
Wang Shibo Report from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Li Ji]