"Digifriend" - A concept of inclusion of the elderly in the digital world

"Digifriend" has resulted in multiple positive effects: increased digital competence, prevention of loneliness, increased family contact and expanded network. The project can be developed nationally.

Issue: A total of 600,000 people are living in digital exclusion, and one of the groups struggling the most are the elderly. In the last few years, digitisation has expanded, and the pandemic has resulted in an increased tendency towards exclusion. In the public health initiative, exclusion is an increasing problem, and the elderly will remain outsiders until customised education is given. The need to master the digital world is increasing, both in terms of socialisation, inclusion and to gain access to equality in online health services.

Project: The project ‘Digifriend’ was developed as an answer to the exclusion challenge and works as an educational model, in which youths guide the elderly to increase digital competence. The main goal was to create arenas for social meetings across generations, as well as increase digital competence and digital health competence. The project was developed in the region of Nord-Gudbrandsdalen and was driven by the regional council, the high school, municipalities and volunteers. ‘Digifriend’ consisted of both digital and physical guidance, in addition to follow-ups and continued digital meetings.

Results: A total of 45 students were trained as digital friends. Six municipalities were included, and the project reached 450 elderly people. In cooperation with the elderly, the project developed an educational model for the device called KOMP. Participants went from having physical contact with their loved ones occasionally to having digital contact daily. Recipients of a digital friend had their network expanded, as well as increased contact within their existing network. The elderly also experienced a close relationship with their digital friend at school and gained new relationships through the training.

Lessons: The elderly feel more included and get to follow their families on a daily basis. The group is motivated to learn and have an increased understanding of how the technology works. We have experienced and been told by the participants themselves that they feel less lonely as a result of the relations that occurred in this project. Going forward there will be a need for differentiation in training due to varying basic technology knowledge in the group, and different access to techno- logical tools. The project generated far more volunteer hours than initially assumed, indicating that the project resulted in positive relations that both the elderly and students desired to maintain. ‘Digifriend’ is a sustainable solution to the digital exclusion challenge and is likely to be an applicable method nationally. It is a direct answer to the UN’s Goals for Sustainable Development, regarding partnerships for the goal, reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, quality education and wellbeing.