The eSafety Commissioner is encouraging Australians to support their loved ones by introducing them to video technology.
The Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant said video calling can profoundly reduce the feeling of isolation, but for many older Australians, it was a challenge.
Ms Inman Grant said that on the bright side, large numbers of seniors were going the extra mile to find out how to catch up ‘face-to-face’.
She said that since February, 17 per cent of all the learning modules completed by seniors on eSafety’s Be Connected website were about making video calls.
“The easy-to-understand modules guide people through video calling apps such as Skype, FaceTime and Whatsapp,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“To further assist, eSafety has published new advice on its website, featuring tips and a how-to video,” she said.
“It is so vital now for seniors to be able to connect in this way, and family and friends have a key role to play in teaching them how.”
She said video calling was a really powerful tool for people to feel that they were still part of the family.
“Whether it’s showing them the website or helping them download one of the apps, taking time to introduce video calling can transform daily life,” Ms Inman Grant said.
“Video calling is the online task that older Australians are the least likely to be able to do, according to eSafety research,” she said.
“Only 30 per cent of those with low digital literacy are able to make video calls compared to 72 per cent being able to send emails.”
Tips on how to help seniors use video technology and other cyber activities can be accessed on the eSafety Commissioner’s website at this PS News link.
