David Sinclair, Assistant Director, Policy and Communications, ILC-UK Presentation from EngAGEd conference on Friday 5th October https://registration.livegroup.co.uk/healthyageingconference/

1. Active Ageing, Assistive Technologies
& Reducing the Cost of Care for Older
People
David Sinclair, International Longevity Centre -
UK
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

2. The role for new technologies
 135 years ago– first two way
phone call made
 In 2000 – ½ world had never
owned a phone
 By 2007 ½ the world had a
mobile phone
 It took 75 years for telephones
to reach 50 million users
 It took 4 years for the internet to
reach 50 million
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

3. Google knows! Location Based Services
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

4. My Society/Fixmystreet.com
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

5. Tripadvisor for Care Homes
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

6. Ocado for care
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

7. Technology to facilitate active ageing
 Volunteering
 Gradual Retirement
(slithers of time)
 Opportunities for fun
 Opportunities to
participate in society
http://www.flickr.com/photos/richardstubbs/593367
9919/sizes/m/in/photostream/
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

8. Web facilitating access to Information and
Advice
• More confident consumers of care with raising
expectations rather than patients
• More tests available online/instant response
(telehealth/care/monitoring)
• Greater access to information about conditions
(accuracy?)
• Expectations to become more focused on “fix it”,
prevent it, cure it?
• Growth in health tourism. What about care tourism?
(Travelodge/recuperation in Spain)
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

9. Challenge 1: Usability
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

10. Usability
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

11. Challenge 2: Motivating and inspiring the older
population
“But how much smaller do
we want a phone?”
Some/many do want new
technology but: “I don’t
want to live in a smart-
home – I’d rather be dead” http://www.flickr.com/photos/un_photo/5
832685007/sizes/z/in/photostream/
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

12. Challenge 3: Can’t continue to ignore the
ethical issues
Moral and ethical
debates – cant afford
to ignore them
Must help older people
choose technology
when it is right for
them (tagging/urine
tests)
Privacy
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

13. Challenge 4: Technology wont tackle the
fundamental problems
The first rule of any technology used in a business is
that automation applied to an efficient operation
will magnify the efficiency. The second is that
automation applied to an inefficient operation will
magnify the inefficiency.
Bill Gates
(Let’s get the basics right first!)
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

14. Challenge 5: Digital Exclusion
Quarter 4: 2011:
Q 4 2011: 8.2
8.2 million
million n
never used
the internet
Proportion of age cohorts ever having used the internet (Source: ONS)
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

15. Challenge 6: No culture of private purchase of
health/care technologies
 Personalisation?
 Access to
information and
advice?
 But Health Apps are
biggest growth area http://www.flickr.com/photos/thousandshipz/4679235/sizes/m/in/phot
ostream/
for Iphone.
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

16. Policy implications
Usability: Perhaps we need a legislative approach?
Or would this constrain innovation?
Inspiring and engaging the older consumer: How
can we tackle “its not for me”
Addressing ethics: Need to be more up front with
consumers about the use of technology
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

17. Complacency about technology: Technology is a
tool. But not a magic bullet.
Digital Exclusion: Do we need compulsion? Can we
nudge?
Creating a culture of private purchase: Need
healthcare technology on the BBC breakfast sofa.
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.

18. Contact
David Sinclair
Assistant Director, Policy and Communications
International Longevity Centre – UK
davidsinclair@ilcuk.org.uk
Twitter.com/ilcuk
Twitter.com/sinclairda
The International Longevity Centre-UK is an independent, non-partisan think-tank
dedicated to addressing issues of longevity, ageing and population change.