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  • 1 week ago
Vulnerable Australians are being left behind as more services move online. The ABC’s your say initiative has heard from older Australians lacking the digital literacy needed, to thrive in the technological age. We've also heard from their family members who are forced into the role of 'unpaid digital navigator.'

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00:02At 85, Marjorie Jones says navigating technology is like learning another language.
00:09I managed my life really well without computers.
00:15And I just don't seem to be able to switch on to the same wavelength as computers.
00:21Trouble is, she increasingly needs them to bank, pay bills and book appointments.
00:26I start getting nervous and I feel stupid because I don't understand.
00:33Luckily, her younger sister Wendy lives next door.
00:37When Marjorie had to apply online for aged care support, Wendy became her digital navigator.
00:44What if we get it wrong? We've had no training, we're just using our common sense.
00:48More than 65% of Australians over 75 struggle to access, afford or operate technology.
00:55The responsibility is falling on those closest to them to bridge the digital divide,
01:01whether that's family, friends or even nursing home staff.
01:04Some people don't have families, so this is a place that they can become part of a family, if you
01:08like,
01:09and ask the questions and contact me.
01:11This Brisbane retirement village introduced digital seminars as more residents reported falling for scams.
01:18I'm only just grabbing the little bits and pieces that I need, you know.
01:21I'm not going to go right into it because otherwise you'll be, you know, bamboozled for the rest of your
01:25life.
01:26And I ain't got much left.
01:29Best of all, the service is face to face.
01:31I like getting into technology now.
01:34But I, instead of reading about it, like people give you books or give you something to read.
01:39That's not me. I like to be shown.
01:41We have to acknowledge that things are moving increasingly to being digital first,
01:46but they can't be digital only because it actually does discriminate against older people.
01:51The problem is not just the person.
01:51We have to remember things.
01:52We've got people as people.
01:53We have to remember things.
01:53People know what we are doing and we have to remember things.
01:53You
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