Older people need IT support to access help

I WONDER just how many older people are missing out on the Green Homes deal initiative and many other financially and socially advantageous things due to lack of IT and the skills to use it?

Having so far helped nine people in our area to apply for money to help them reduce energy bills and make their homes warmer, it is patently obvious that once again the older section of society has been completely disregarded once again by arrogance in assuming everyone has access to and can use IT.

Once again, like many other forms and applications, this application process is all digital and complicated, requiring estimates etc forwarded in PDF, putting many older people off straight away.

It’s not as though help is available from anyone like say Age UK, where info etc is also online therefore inaccessible to many of the people they should be serving.

We have had Green Deal applications using the exact same process (online from one email address) with the same measures, by the same Green Deal prequalified contractor in the same streets and one has taken three weeks and one still is not through.

Don’t get disheartened though because it really is FREE money. Get help from someone younger or someone who can access the internet as the measures can really help improve older energy inefficient houses.

Auntie Beeb could be the key to helping out this large section of our community.

Maybe Age Uk could also invest some time and effort into helping old people to actually access their help. They could really help out here by ditching some of the cooking or fitness stuff and having very simple, very basic IT learning for the elderly.

Many older people can’t use smart phones or smart TVS. If you ask a few grannies and grandads about how much IT they can use you would be amazed at the lack of options and therefore everyday things many older people are missing out on.

There is a huge captive elderly audience out there just waiting to be able to be able to reach out to the world from which many have become isolated.

Frank Mcconaghy, chair Springbank Community Association, Hull.