'Technostress' causing older people to feel shut out by digital world, research finds

Endless apps, pop-ups, passwords, updates, downloads, and deepfakes - the relentless march of the digital age is enough to make anyone's head spin.

For some older New Zealanders, it's leading to a loss of social connection and even limiting their access to essential services.

New research out of the University of Auckland has found that "technostress" is causing many older people to feel shut out by the digital world.

But not for 92-year-old Peter Singh and his top-of-the-line iPhone 17.

"I do my emails, I do my banking," he said. "I can find my way in the car."

A keen photographer, he's also got every app you can think of - he's even on TikTok.

He said he knew nothing of computers when he first joined the Eden-Roskill branch of SeniorNet, a non-profit society helping people over 50 to learn or enhance their technology skills.

Now he's a life member and even tutors others looking to improve their grasp of digital technology.

"I realised that the technology wouldn't go away and I had to try and keep up with it," he said..

"I was I think in my 60s at the time and I thought now's the time to get with it otherwise I'd be left behind. I now have a smartphone and I find that it helps me with that too because I'm not afraid of it."

It's that fear of technology that new University of Auckland research has found is keeping many older New Zealanders isolated from society in later life.

PhD candidate Melanie Stowell said now more than ever, people need to have a level of digital knowledge just to access social services and maintain social connections.

Without it, their psychological, social, physical, cognitive and financial well-being could suffer.

"You might see it in terms of the need to constantly un-learn and re-learn apps that are changing their interface every time they do an update; it could just be the pressure to use technology to do our everyday tasks," she said.

"The stress around feeling targeted for scams can be an issue as well. But all of these things can have an impact on people's mental well-being."

It comes as the government moves to a "digital first public service" in order to save an estimated $3.9 billion over five years.

Stowell said there's a risk older people will be left behind.

"There needs to be an emphasis on digital equity alongside innovation and if we don't have those two really going hand in hand, there's a risk of leaving people behind in that process."

Even when "digital natives" who grew up with smart phones grow older, they won't necessarily be immune from technostress.

"Technology is changing at a pace that's faster than most of us can reckon with and it's a bit naive to assume that the technologies we are using and mastering today are going to be the ones we're going to have to to use in 20 years. So I think if we don't pay attention to this now it's not necessarily going to get better on its own."

Back at the Eden-Roskill SeniorNet meeting, dozens of superannuatant students are pouring into the Mount Eden War Memorial Hall to hear a talk on artificial intelligence.

Tech whizz Peter Singh urged anyone feeling intimidated by the rapidly-changing digital world to reach out to one of the many organisations available to help them get their heads around it.

"This has sort of really led from, if you like, my contact with SeniorNet because I'm not afraid of this. And also I know that if I run into a problem I can come here and ask them about it. You're never on your own."

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