Media & Technology
Developing Digital Literacy
W To access the free resources, visit YouthTeachingAdults.ca/resources. Youth Teaching Adults is a collaboration between ABC Life Literacy Canada and Youth Empowering Parents and is partly funded by the Government of Canada through the Digital Literacy Exchange Program.
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ith an end date to the pandemic still not clear, Canadians are struggling to cope with physical distancing after a long winter. With seniors being the most vulnerable to COVID-19, they are likely to spend more time distancing for longer than the rest of the general population. Sadly, this isolation can have major repercussions. A recent study showed that social disconnection puts older adults at greater risk of depression and anxiety, and can even lead to health problems such as cognitive decline and heart disease. People with strong social bonds are 50 per cent less likely to
suffer negative effects from isolation than those who have fewer social connections. While technology can be effective in connecting isolated seniors with friends and family, access to technology is still an issue. According to Stats Canada, in 2016, 68.2 per cent of seniors had access to the internet, up from just 32.2 per cent in 2007. While this growth is positive, 30 per cent of the ageing population still has no access to the internet. And of those who do have internet, many don’t have strong enough digital literacy skills to use videoconferencing tools that may help to improve their mental health.
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