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Appendix C:
Summary of Responses to
Local Survey and Survey Instrument
Senior Technology Literacy and Access Project
Summary of Survey Results
February 25, 1998
Volunteer members of the CTTAB conducted telephone and in-person interviews during late
February 1998 to gather information and input from organizations around the city about how
and to what extent older people in Seattle are participating in computer programs and
services. A total of 10 interviews were conducted. The results are summarized below.
Organization Type and Number Surveyed
| Senior services |
4 |
| Community/ethnic agency |
5 |
| Computer lab/training center |
1 |
Population served / target audience
Total number (unduplicated)
served per month: 8,778
Average per agency responding: 1,097 |
|
| Average % of population served over age 55: |
72.1% |
| Average % of population served over age 75: |
35.1% |
| Average % of those over 55 who are low income: |
64.3% |
| Average % of those over 55 who are racial / ethnic
minorities: |
36.9% |
| Average % of those over 55 who are limited English
speaking: |
14.9% |
| Average % of all served with disabilities: |
33.0% |
Use of computers
Of the people over age 55 that you serve, what percentage would you estimate currently
know how to use a computer?
Average
response: 9.7%
In what ways, if any, do people over age 55 use computers
as part of your services / programs? |
Program / Service |
Describe how
computers are used
(training, find information, etc.) |
| Class |
12 seniors, one-on-one |
| Training |
|
| Classes – outside teacher |
6 week courses once a week; beginning,
intermediate, advanced |
| Classes |
Connecting with library – tied in with
use and knowledge of computer. |
| Free orientations, 1-hour per month. |
1/3-1/2 of every class is seniors. Internet
Access and Word Processing. To write letters, send and receive e-mail, organize
religious mission work in one case, conduct international trip planning in another case. |
| Miscellaneous |
Correspondence, e-mail, personal financial
management |
| Not in place |
|
Considering the population of people over age 55 that you serve, what do
you believe are the three most important/beneficial ways in which they use or could use
computers?
(The number of organizations providing a similar answer is noted in parentheses
following the responses.)
- Good confidence builder; helps them feel modern; getting comfortable with technology
generally, which they need to use in many contexts but may avoid; personal satisfaction
(4)
- Knowledge; expand services and information to seniors through the Internet, such as
Access rides and health information (4)
- Family histories with scanned photos and personal history; record local history;
preserve information which might be lost; preserve cultural heritage (3)
- Corresponding with relatives and friends; one person at the YMCA sends baby pictures
weekly to infirm parents in Hawaii who will never be able to travel (3)
- General use (teaching); connect to the world and stay alert and informed (3)
- Organizing business, budgets, financial services (2)
- Entertainment; social opportunity (2)
- Improve motor skills
- Word processing
- Intergenerational meeting with local youth
| In
what ways, if any, would you like to use computers as part of your services/programs to
people age 55 and over if you had additional resources? |
Program / Service |
Describe how you would
like to use or increase the use of computers |
| Senior Lab |
Create senior chat rooms and training;
genealogy; family history; write books; word processing |
| |
Offer more classes |
| |
Increase awareness of technology |
| Computer training / access |
Internet access; more machines-more training;
train people to do office work |
| Outreach |
Laptops |
| Resources to teach |
Should be available at all 23 Parks Department
Community Centers |
| |
Less formal than "user groups", but
group people with like interests--for example, genealogy |
| |
Expand the availability of the 6 week
Introduction to Computer class, assistance with marketing and operational costs. |
| English as a second language / naturalization
help |
|
| Cultural development |
|
| Self help |
|
| Involve more people in current programs |
Encourage them to use their computer skills in
office jobs to supplement pensions. |
| Training |
Windows 95 is important, more
computers-ability to train more seniors and access for those who can't afford it. |
| Printing capability / scanner |
Need a fast, clean printer, everything is
donated. |
| Have connected terminal for Social Security
information |
No need to log on. Social Security is
considering a kiosk approach to get away from their 800 number. |
| Municipal senior site |
Big, well labeled buttons. Simplicity.
Functionality. |
| E-mail |
Become better connected with government;
increase participation in local activities. |
| |
Identify seniors who can provide leadership,
teach, perform more successful outreach. |
What are the three largest barriers to providing the additional
programs/services mentioned? (The number of organizations providing
a similar answer is noted in parentheses following the responses.)
- Money (class fees); funding; space (8)
- Trainers / instructors; staff time (7)
- Upgrade the equipment; lack of equipment (2)
- Building the relationships with seniors to get them to the site; senior leaders could
best bridge this
- Accessibility
- Grant presently funds career development programs so senior programs can't be developed
on the same basis
- In our center, seniors tend to be Asian-American; youth tend to be African-American;
cultural differences mean than intergenerational support doesn't just happen
Considering the population of people over age 55 that you serve, what do
you believe are the three factors that most enable or attract them to use computers?
- Sense of keeping up to date; wanting to know more; curiosity; intellectually stimulating
- Entertainment; novelty
- Communal aspects, feeling connected to other people; interaction with younger people;
get them out of the house; social action
- Family contacts; family members encourage them
- Easy way to do work; computers might be a tool to resolve writing needs relative to
arthritis or other difficulties; word processing; manage investment portfolio
- Small classes in their neighborhood, taught by older people and sensitive to seniors
- Free or low cost
- Flexible class setup and curriculum
Learning the basics of keyboarding; typing skills, it is like trying to learn a new
language; fear of failure; fear of breaking the machine
| On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all
useful and 5 being very useful, how useful would the following options be to increasing
the percentage of seniors in Seattle who have computer access and literacy? |
Option |
Average
Response |
| Offer more senior focused programs at existing
computer sites. |
4.9 |
| Improve the equipment at existing sites. |
4.7 |
| Increase the number of community sites where
seniors have access to use computers. |
3.9 |
| Help seniors get computers in their homes. |
3.0 |
Other suggestions:
- Access in senior housing; make it available to the public also, but promote especially
to seniors.
- Do better with technological support in centers to overcome frustration of working
alone.
| On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being
not at all useful and 5 being very useful, how useful would the following options be to
increase your capacity to help seniors that you serve increase their use of and knowledge
about computers and information technology? |
Option |
Average
Response |
| Provide funding for our organization to
purchase equipment or software and/or to pay for Internet fees |
4.8 |
| Provide technology training for trainers. |
4.2 |
| Provide a directory of successful computer and
technology programs serving seniors |
4.2 |
| Create a directory of places where seniors can
get computer access and training. |
3.8 |
| Offer advice to my organization about planning
senior programs using technology. |
3.8 |
| Provide technical assistance to my
organization about hardware selection, Internet connections and design. |
3.5 |
Other suggestions:
- Please share the results of this survey
- Staff funding
- Equipment; need printers
- Scholarships for seniors to take classes
Additional comments:
- Recommended contact: The Bluebills (Boeing Retirees)
- Need scanning equipment, printer, scuzzy II card for little scanner, seniors need
specialized equipment ( mouse ball, etc.).
- We have 2 locations; we need separate locations at times. We are a multi-purpose agency
with ages from 8 to 80's so we need separate space for some programs.
- There are a lot of access programs in West Seattle, bun not many focus on seniors
(senior problem – cultural barrier is different).
- People in training programs usually know where other programs are and make referrals.
Seniors Technology Literacy and Access Project
Survey Form
| Person conducting interview:
Date:
Organization type (circle one):
Senior services
Community/Ethnic agency
Computer lab/training center
Person interviewed:
Organization:
Title:
Phone No.:
E-mail:
|
| Population served / target audience
(reason people come to you; age range; key characteristics) (1)
|
% of population served over age 55: _____% (3)
% of population served over age 75: _____%
(4)
% of those over 55 who are low income: _____%
(5)
% of those over 55 who are racial/ethnic minorities: _____%
(6)
% of those over 55 who are limited English speaking: _____%(7)
% of all served with disabilities: _____% (8)
Total number (unduplicated)
served per month: _____ (2) |
| Of the people over age 55 that you serve, what
percentage would you estimate currently know how to use a computer?
_____% (9) |
In what ways, if any, do people
over age 55 use computers as part of your services/programs? (10)
(11) |
|
Program / Service (class,
email, youth & seniors project, etc.) |
Describe how computers
are used (training, find information, etc.) |
| Considering the population of people over age 55 that you
serve, what do you believe are the three most important/beneficial ways in which they
use or could use computers? (12) 1.
2.
3. |
| In what ways, if any, would you like to use
computers as part of your services/programs to people age 55 and over if you had
additional resources? (13) (14) |
Program/Service |
Describe how you would
like to use or increase the use of computers |
| 1) |
|
| 2) |
|
| 3) |
|
| 4) |
|
| What are the three largest barriers to providing
the services you just mentioned?
Please be as specific as possible (15) |
| 1) |
| 2) |
| 3) |
| Considering the population of people over age 55 that you
serve, what do you believe are the three factors that most enable or attract them to
use computers? (16) 1.
2.
3. |
| Considering the population of people over age 55 that you
serve, what do you believe are the three largest challenges/barriers to senior use of
computers? (17) 1.
2.
3. |
| On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all
useful and 5 being very useful, how useful would the following options be to increasing
the percentage of seniors in Seattle who have computer access and literacy? |
| |
Not at all
useful |
|
|
Very useful |
| Increase the number of community sites where seniors
have access to use computers(21) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Improve the equipment at existing sites |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Offer more senior focused programs at existing
computer sites (22) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Help seniors get computers in their homes
(23) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Other: (25) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Other: (26) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being not at all
useful and 5 being very useful, how useful would the following options be to increase
your capacity to help seniors that you serve increase their use of and knowledge about
computers and information technology? |
| |
Not at all
useful |
|
|
Very useful |
| Create a directory of places where seniors can
get computer access and training (20) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Provide technical assistance to my
organization about hardware selection, Internet connections and design(21) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Provide technology training for trainers(22) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Offer advice to my organization about planning
senior programs using technology.(23) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Provide funding for our organization to
purchase equipment or software and/or to pay for Internet fees (25) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Provide a directory of successful computer and
technology programs serving seniors.(24) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Other: (26) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Other: (27) |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
| Additional comments: (28)
|
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