Solving an age-old problem

The National Library of China, for instance, has established a "green passage" for the elderly readers, providing dedicated staff members to help them navigate the procedures of the smart system, enabling them to get access to the books in an easier way.

The library also offers help for the older generation to get access to a health code. Those who don't have smart devices can still enter the library with a personal ID after completing a registration procedure with the help of the staff.

"They provide us with comprehensive services, and they can teach us how to use these smart devices. We can enter the national library without any trouble," explains 78-year-old reader Liu Lidao.

To meet seniors' demand to master new technology, in 2014, the library established courses. The eight series of courses explain the functions of mobile phones, how to use the common applications, teach them about video production, online medical care, smart scanning and identification and, of course, online shopping. By the end of 2020, the library had received over 100 pennants and letters of thanks.

This month, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology started a special yearlong, countrywide project that aims to make elderly-user-friendly and barrier-free improvements to internet applications.

As its first move, the ministry will complete the upgrading of 115 public service websites and 43 mobile apps, covering areas such as relevant national ministries and provincial governments, transportation, financial services, and social communications. Functions including larger fonts and icons, higher contrast text display, as well as a clear, simple and easy-to-operate interfaces, will be introduced. Plus, many applications will add dialect recognition and other auxiliary functions.

"After the pandemic outbreak, people have been using the internet and smartphones more frequently, which has affected the quality of life for the elderly. As a result, the proportion of online users aged 60 and above in China has greatly increased," says Yuan Xin, a professor at Nankai University, in an interview with a Chinese new media platform called Jiemian.

"People need to catch up with the digital revolution together, but at the same time, the pace at which that is done should differentiate, taking into account the age structure of the entire population, the digitization acceptance of different groups of people, and their ability to use digital devices."

Contact the writer at xuhaoyu@chinadaily.com.cn