During the past three months, the Greek partners of the ICT4Elders project (AKMI S.A and Symplexis) have been closely collaborating for the implementation of the project’s first Intellectual Output activities in Greece. At this stage of the project, actions evolve around a set of research activities in order to create Greece’s first National Report on the Behavioral Analysis on the negative effects of Information Technology illiteracy on Elderly People.
At a preparatory phase, Symplexis established the necessary set of research tools (methodological framework, questionnaires, interview guide and consent forms) in order to ensure a solid research methodology for the implementation of activities. The documents were fine-tuned and translated by the two partners into the Greek language to facilitate their use in activities with the target groups – notably elders, family members and health care professionals.
A survey aiming at clarifying the educational needs of health care professionals and family members of elderly people to support their use of digital technologies was conducted though a questionnaire, forwarded by all partners to target groups through their professional and personal networks. At the same time, AKMI S.A in collaboration with AKMI Metropolitan College has conducted a comprehensive desk research examining the use if ICT technologies by elderly people in Greece. The participation of the Metropolitan College in project activities has been a valuable contribution, as their expert staff working in elderly care units, with the support of students, were able to successfully conduct a total 10 of interviews with elderly people in care facilities. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, half of the interviews were held in presence and half of them online with the support of digital means. At the end of each interview, a social experiment was conducted where both real and fake news where presented to elderly people, opening up a very interesting discussion around their ability to distinguish real from fake news in a context of increasing online information.
The findings and conclusions drawn from the aforementioned activities are currently being analyzed and summarized in Greece’s National Report that will be published soon. Stay tuned with the ICT4Elders communication channels to learn more!
Author: Evie Lazaridou – project manager of AKMI