Digital inclusion of older people: harnessing digital technologies to promote healthy ageing in the Western Pacific Region

Adapting systems and technology for an aging population has benefits for older people, the consumer market industry itself and all of society. To promote knowledge sharing on innovations for healthy ageing and digital inclusion of older people in the Western Pacific Region, a hybrid conference on "Digital inclusion of older people: harnessing digital technologies to promote healthy ageing in the Western Pacific Region " was held on 23 June 2021 by China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, a WHO Collaborating Centre for Digital Health. Barriers from demand side include: (1) unaffordability; (2) poor Information and Communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills for navigation; and (3) low self-efficacy and motivation. Supply barriers include: (1) youth-centred design; (2) ageism; and (3) anti-facilitative environment including infrastructure and age-biased technology. Existing practices to overcome digital inclusion barriers were shared: (1) landmark initiatives related to the health and social welfare; (2) laws and policies to improve aged care services, strengthen social services, enrich spiritual and cultural life for older people; (3) ICT infrastructure and residential care facilities based on the philosophy of family care and supported by community care; (4) affordable digital application and adaptive feature design to better enable and motivate their desire to use digital technology; and (5) community activities such as trainings and tutorials to enhance digital capacity and literacy of older people. Main principles highlighted include market motivation, human-centered design, creating enabling environments, and multi-stakeholder collaborations to provide guidance to customize strategy under context of different regions and countries, instead of a one-size-fits-all solution, to avoid the risk of exacerbating inequalities experienced by older people, caused by accelerated ICT innovation, and advocate for more affordable products in the silver market.