Digital Inclusion of the Elderly:

An Ethnographic Pilot-Research in Romania

Corina Cimpoieru*

Abstract. This study raises the attention to the interaction between the elderly
and new digital technologies. Based on an ethnographic research at one of the
first Biblionet Internet Centers opened in Romania through the Global Libraries
Project, the research draws its originality from the emic perspective it has em-
barked on, offering valuable insights into the elderly’ attitudes toward and di-
rect experiences with computer and Internet use.

Keywords: technology and the elderly, information society, grey digital divide.

I Introduction
According to a report of the European Commission [1], the information society in
Romania finds itself on the “poor” side of the “digital divide”, with one of the small-
est rates of Internet usage in European Union. Another report[2] calls into attention
what has been designated as “ the third transition” - namely the wide-spread phe-
nomenon of aging in Eastern Europe – which adds to the challenges the diffusion of
new technological innovations[3] has to face in the post-communist transition socie-
ties. Providing access, as well as e-literacy to the elderly is a provoking task, which
can benefit both this segment of population and society as a whole. Trying to address
the questions of how and why older adults started to use the digital technologies and
what were the benefits and barriers they encountered, the immediate aim of the pre-
sent research is to make an informed-description and analysis of a context-related
digital interaction between the elderly and computer technology. Given the explora-
tory and topic-groundbreaking nature of the enquiry in Romania, the larger aim is to
provide for reliable information, susceptible for further research.

2 Theoretical Framework
There has been a growing body of research about the development and the influence
of the new ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) on their users.
However, very few of these studies specifically concern the elderly[4]. In this part I
aim to briefly overview some of the existing literature regarding the interaction be-
tween the older adults and the digital environment.

*
Beneficiary of the project “Doctoral scholarships supporting research: Competitiveness, qual-
ity, and cooperation in the European Higher Education Area”, co-funded by the European Un-
ion through the European Social Fund, Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources
Development 2007-2013.

H. Cherifi, J.M. Zain, and E. El-Qawasmeh (Eds.): DICTAP 2011, Part II, CCIS 167, pp. 663–677, 2011.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011
664 C. Cimpoieru

It has been shown in several studies that older adults tend to be among the losers of
the so-called “informational technology revolution”[5]. For instance, Norris[6] has
pointed out to the “generational difference” which makes the access and use of Inter-
net more slowly among the elderly when compared with the younger’s uptake of the
same technologies. In the same line, Milward[7] coined the term “grey digital divide”
to describe the seniors unequal access of the digital world, while Hagittai[8] indicated
the existence of a “second level digital divide”, arguing that age considerably lowers
the ability to online engagement. Furthermore, research has demonstrated that simply
providing access to technologies does not imply intricate and immediate or successful
up-taking. In general, and particularly in the case of the elderly, access is only part of
the problem, “not sufficient to grey the Web”, as Brabazon metaphorically pointed
out[9].
In an attempt to research the older adults’ motivation for learning and using the
ICTs, some of the literature has concentrated on the perceived benefits affecting old-
er’ engagement to the digital technologies. For instance research made by Melenhorts
and Rogers[10] demonstrated the importance of perceived benefits of digital technol-
ogy as a motivational factor for using this medium, while Morrel et al.[11] found that
a lack of awareness regarding the benefits results in its rejection. The main perceived
benefits reported by previous research include: communicating with remote family
and friends[12][13], meeting information on their hobbies and interests[14], seeking
for health information[15], remaining independent[16], keeping mentally healthy[17]
and socially active[18]. Furthermore several studies have pointed out to a genderized
perceived benefits which indicate that women are motivated by keeping in touch with
their family, while men seem to be more inclined in learning and using the Internet
for finding personal information[19].
Previous research has also pointed out to the barriers that decrease the chances of
older adults’ usage of computer and Internet. These are usually related to lack of
awareness[11], lack of IT skills and experience [14] age related physical limits such
as disabilities, loss of memory, slower speed performance[20], computer anxiety
translated into a general fear of the new technologies[21]. However it has also been
shown that barriers could be overcome by a positive experience with computers. For
instance, Cody et al[21], have suggested that computer training creates a positive atti-
tude toward computer and improves the Internet efficacy.

2 The Technological Context of the Research

Putting forward the case study of one of the Internet pilot centers opened in Romania
as part of the Biblionet Project[22], the present research draws its originality from a
bottom-up approach of the “grey digital divide”. The case study is all the more impor-
tant as it is an unique initiative in Romania of bridging this “technological gap”
among the elderly population. The context of the research is related to the larger pro-
ject of Global Library Initiative of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation [23], which
aims to help public libraries to connect people with the world of digital information
and opportunities. In Romania The Global Library Project is developed into The Bib-
lionet, “a five-year program that helps Romanian libraries better serve their communi-
ties through training and technology”.