As we shift to digital services, don’t forget N.L.’S seniors

Almost a quarter of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are over the age of 65, based on the most recent data collected in the Canadian 2021 census.

That number is expected to continue growing, thus shifting the proportion of younger people to older citizens to increasing challenging service levels.

What makes serving seniors challenging? It’s the shift to processes marketed as convenience and environmentally-friendly, particularly financial electronic-based services that don’t allow for flexibility for some of the cognitive deficits we acquire when we age.

FINANCES

Banks have been steadily moving paper-based statements to e-versions for some time now.

Telephone, internet, heat, municipal services and others offer monthly deductions for payments from bank accounts.

I know quite a number of people who like the fact they can avoid paying service fees for cheques by charging everything to their credit card for points and then only writing one cheque each month.

There are multiple ways to send money for whatever purpose you like. You can install payment apps on your phone, eliminating the need for bank cards and credit cards to pay for food, clothing, and so on.

CHECK STATEMENTS

Lately, I have to ask for a paper receipt to be generated so I can check my statements. But I learned the hard way not to highlight expenses with a highlighter (it’s like reverse invisible ink!).

Why check statements? Because, sadly, extra charges can sneak in. I was already paying service fees at the bank when I noticed an extra $3.50 showing up for the paper statement. Silly me – I had thought that was part of the service fee.

SURPRISE FEES

I’ve heard about similar small fees showing up for continuing service support, even if none has been asked for, all while having to pay separately for a service call.

Sometimes the fees are large. I once subscribed to a service and then accepted a lifetime offer for a one-time payment. Imagine my surprise the following year when a new charge showed up for maintaining the life time subscription.

I could get these changes dealt with, but what if you get locked out of your email account because you can’t remember your password? What if the only way to correct an issue is to log in to the companyrequired account to manage your business, or use a chat?

AI CHATBOTS

Two weeks ago, I read about Air Canada being held to account for failing to uphold the advice given to a passenger via the airline’s chatbot on how to adjust travel due to bereavement. The passenger was denied the discount and had to pay full rates.

Multiple news outlets reported Air Canada’s statement denying responsibility, saying the Air Canada chatbot was a "separate legal entity that is responsible for its own actions."

Instead, the passenger was to have used the advice provided elsewhere on the site.

WHERE'S THE SERVICE?

The absence of people to talk to is concerning.

Seniors keep or strengthen their cognitive abilities by maintaining their social networks, by being connected with the world at large through television, radio, newspapers, and by participating in the activities of everyday life.

Moving bureaucracy’s responses to the online, paper-less environment adds an extra layer of difficulty. Solutions need to be creative and responsive.

CONVENIENCE PROBLEMS

I get reminders for any hospitalbased appointments by phone. These are pre-recorded messages with the computer-generated time, date and location added in.

Sounds great in theory, and for me it has been a life saver when schedules are busy.

However, the speed at which the message is delivered is astonishing. While you can repeat the message, the system only lets you do it once, and then the call is truncated.

What if you are hard of hearing or speak English as a second language? You are out of luck unless you have a family member who can help navigate the shoals of system bureaucracy.

ISSUES

Governments promise rebuilding and system transformation daily, but solutions need to reflect varying needs and abilities.

While it might save those systems money, paper and time to move everything electronically, for many end users, there are significant issues, including lost time, increased costs and decreased sense of agency.

We need to do better.