iDEM interview with AGE Platform Europe – Digitalisation and older people: Advocating for public visibility and participation of older people.

As a digital society, we tend to forget about the people we do not see in online democratic spaces. We do not think about why they are not there or what is barring them from participating in democracy within digital spaces. This is the case for older people, who oftentimes cannot participate in political discussions frequently held online. To understand the lack of older people’s participation in important public environments such as democratic processes, we interviewed Julia Wadoux, Policy Manager for Healthy Aging and Accessibility at AGE Platform Europe. She highlights the intersectionality of older people to depict the variety of barriers that ostracise them from democratic participation and offers us ways to include them in these processes. 

Listen to the full interview here:

What is AGE Platform Europe’s role in the inclusion of older people? 

AGE Platform Europe is an umbrella organisation based in Brussels comprising more than 100 organisations that are either made of or made for older people. Their main goal is to do advocacy work towards EU institutions in order to defend the rights of older people. The relevance of this work is reflected in the demographic data presented by Julia. According to EUROSTAT, the proportion of the population aged 65 and over in European countries is around 20%, a significant figure when talking about the omission of rights. Julia also informed us that 1 out of 3 of those born today will reach 100 years of age and 15% of the EU population is projected to be 80 and over by the end of the century. Our democracies must adapt to this change in demography, which means that tools like the ones being created by iDEM will be fundamental to ensure the representation of all social groups in our democracies.

What types of language barriers would you say that older people face, specifically?

We tend to think of social groups as homogeneous which is why we would expect older people to share specific barriers to democratic participation, however, Julia explained why this is not the case. We cannot pinpoint certain linguistic obstacles to the public sphere for them because:

“The heterogeneity of older people [reflects] the heterogeneity of the population”

Older people also have disabilities, or have acquired them throughout their lives; they might have illnesses; are also migrants; or experience poverty. This intersectionality means that while all generations face unique challenges in the digital world, older generations must specifically adapt to and navigate this evolving scene.

How can full digital accessibility for older citizens be achieved?

In a recent policy paper Digitalisation and older people: our call to EU Policy Makers, AGE Platform Europe discussed how full digital accessibility can reduce the digital gap. Julia explained that when it comes to accessibility of new technological tools what matters is that all types of needs have to be taken into account. 

In line with our open access iDEM tools, which are free and accessible, she highlighted the importance of expanding accessibility to affordability and availability. This is because digital devices tend to be expensive and require updates. She emphasised that – while we tend to forget or think it is not the case – poverty is still very prominent among the older generations, especially older women. The internet is also not available everywhere, notably in rural areas which are mostly inhabited by an older population. 

Can you please explain what ageism is and how it affects older people?

Julia began her answer with a definition of the WHO. She then mentioned that, although often associated with older people, this situation also affects a significant part of the younger population. 

“Refers to the way we think, we feel and we act towards others or ourselves – because it’s sometimes self-directed – based on the age of the person.” (WHO, 2021) 

“Ageism can refer to younger people who are facing age discrimination because of their young age like it can affect old people that are discriminated because of their age as well”

According to the WHO, ageism leads to the abuse of older people, isolation and exclusion from activities and work. All these situations impact their mental and physical health, as well as their economy. It can also have a negative effect on the social cohesion of our societies.

“We tend to say that [ageism] is really widespread in the sense that if we are lucky enough we will all age […] This is probably some sort of specificity where everyone at some sort might face ageism” This stresses the importance of digital inclusion, since age bias prevents older generations from participating in decision-making about their technological needs and from digital learning. This leads to social isolation and workplace exclusion. 

iDEM is focusing on making democratic processes more accessible for people who experience language barriers. Are you aware of any local or national initiatives across the EU in which the participation of older people is promoted?

Julia noted that many regional initiatives and local authorities set up councils where people gather and are consulted on topics affecting them. She mentioned The Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities by the WHO, a project that prioritises participation as the primary pillar when adapting urban environments, including services and communication. People are consulted so that changes and adaptations will meet their aspirations and needs. 

She told us that despite these initiatives, national and European level consultation processes are difficult to witness, and most of them are held online, so language barriers and accessibility issues make it difficult for marginalised communities to participate. At iDEM, we recognise the importance of balancing digital accessibility and human support when participating in deliberative discussions or democratic processes. For this reason, we will ensure that adequate human support is available at our in-person piloting events, as we believe all participants should have access to tailored support for their needs.

What advice would you give to local authorities who want to involve older people in democratic processes, but aren’t sure on how to do it?

“Counting on the different stakeholders and civil society organisations […] in your city”

Julia reminded us that most cities have a number of these organisations and even if they don’t directly meet or work with older people, they probably do interact with them. These organisations tend to be in touch with a great number of citizens and can better establish trust with them. 

She told us to look beyond the surface. We must not generalise, like the rest of the population, some older persons are more socially active and others less so. She emphasised that many older people are volunteers, part of different associations, or attend grandchildren’s events. She does urge us not to forget those we do not see, those that are isolated or live in institutions, such as nursing homes, who are rarely consulted.

This interview has highlighted the intersectionality of the older generations and given us tips to ensure their inclusion and representation in our democratic processes. iDEM aims to promote democratic participation among older people through its digital tools but will not forget the lessons learnt in this interview in regard to the importance of offline support and human interaction. 

Thank you AGE Platform Europe for this thought-provoking conversation!