The Design Method For Older People

The impact of aging said to have a great effect on the capacity of learning of the adult. (Falasca, 2011). There are several eye problems become common as they age, cognitive ability, hearing impairments and perception may not be sufficient enough to understand and grasp all the information or it could be compromised (Falasca,

It is a habit for the older generation to compare today’s society to their own, and often time, it is not in the favor of the youth. A prominent though is that the current generation is being corrupted by technology and because of it are at a disadvantage intellectual. One certain critic, Mark Bauerlein, in his book, The Dumbest Generation, makes a bold claim that anyone under thirty are part of a generation dumber than any before. However, studies show a different trend. Technology is not lowering intelligence but changing the way people learn. Because of the influence of the digital world, the current generation has shift to a new way of learning that in no way make them dumber.

Exerting personal anecdotes on the way the internet has changed him; Carr begins his book in a subtle manner. He begins describing one of his first dilemma’s, “I had become trapped, not unhappily, in the “upgrade cycle” I retired the aging Plus in 1994,

It is believed by many that younger generations, those under the age of thirty are the “dumbest”. Apparently, technology has now influenced and molded people into less-intelligent individuals who lack the knowledge and skills that people of the same age once acquired. Though if we look at more aspects of their learning capabilities, millennials do have the potential to be bright beings, now seen through more creative, non-traditional ways. And because of this, younger generations cannot be undermined as they have high levels of cognitive abilities, the help from technology, and how technology makes them write more and be more involved with their interests. Younger generations are not limited in their cognitive abilities, rather these abilities are expanding as time progresses.

Often when the younger generation catches wind of their elders criticizing technology they chalk it up to their inability to adapt to new environments, or being “stuck in their ways”. They think, “ I have no problem surfing the web, so why can’t grandma send a simple email without getting hung up on spam?”. Perhaps, some of Grandma’s difficulty come from not being able to locate internet explorer on her desktop, however it is very much possible that it is the computer rather than the person that is making it troublesome to concentrate on the task at hand. In his book The Shallows:What The Internet is Doing to Out Brains Nicholas Carr writes about the effects of the Interest’s distracting environment

According to multiple studies, adults and teens spend more hours using technology than they do asleep. On average, adults spend 8 hours and 40 minutes per day using laptops, phones, and other electronics. On the other hand, teens spend about 9 hours using various forms of media. Mark Bauerlein, a social critic, professor, and author of The Dumbest Generation claims the under thirty generation is the “dumbest” generation in modern history due to technology. He says there are two differences between past generations and the under thirty generation, general knowledge has gone down and reading habits have vanished. The under-thirty generation is the dumbest because people squander the opportunities technology provides, which proves having an abundance of resources doesn’t assure success.

Despite criticism and popular belief towards Generation Y, those under the age of thirty are not “the dumbest generation.” The new technology that has immersed over the past several decades is changing how the brains of Gen Y work, but not negatively. It is rather improving our mental thinking ability. Cognitive scientist Marcel Just stated, “Insofar as new information technology exercises our minds and provides more information, it has to be improving thinking ability.” (169)

Many internet users have found it easier to memorize locations or sites of information than the actual information. According to Carr, this fact has depleted human beings the ability to reason creatively and make complex decisions. However, it is also important to acknowledge that Internet has the capability of improving brain activities of the old and the young. At such ages, the brain cells become exhausted and incapable of processing information actively. Exposure to internet information has the potential to engage the brains into work, which rejuvenates reasoning, and decision-making

For a number of the challenges associated with aging, consumers can find a helpful ally in the many manufacturers and product designers who are catering to "niche markets" (gearing their products specifically to address age-related needs) and enhancing their traditional products targeted to seniors and older boomers.

To demand a new way of teaching and learning involving technology. (Thomas, 2011, p. 4) These popular claims within the seminal literature on digital natives (for example, that digital natives possess a sophisticated set of ICT [Information and Communication Technologies] knowledge and skills or that they have different learning styles or preferences) are largely unsupported by research evidence (Bennett, Maton, & Kirvan, 2008, p. 777). However, using these claims, enthusiasts’ present digital natives as a part of a utopian vision of technology tied to an exoticized picture of liberated young people (Buckingham, 2011). Despite slight distinctions, the terms digital native, the Net generation, and Millennials are used interchangeably (Jones et al., 2010, p. 723). Digital immigrants are characterized as individuals born before 1980 who knew an analogueonly world and still rely on analogue forms of interaction. For digital immigrants, the communication changes happening via the introduction of digital technologies are supposedly learned and relearned, instead of easily becoming second nature (Palfrey and Gasser, 2008, p. 4). Problems are often identified not with the digital natives but rather with older generations of non-natives who display their “digital immigrant accent” (Prensky, 2001a, p. 3) when using new technologies. In this way, digital immigrants are portrayed as being tied to older media, unable to catch up (Buckingham, 2011), therefore embodying the antithesis

The core concept behind ‘Design Thinking’ revolves around attaining a goal rather than simply fixing a problem at hand. Since focusing on an objective already helps address any unmet needs, goal-oriented solutions lay the groundwork for other improvements including future ‘Design Thinking’ solutions. As such, solutions of this nature need to be socially fluid, tangible in nature, and broadminded in approach.

By the end of the pilot program, there will be a 15% increase in the amount of elderly men and women participating in the “Aging and Active”.

The population of the United States is rapidly aging, and as it does, concerns for the mental health and life satisfaction of the elderly is growing. The U.S. Census Bureau projects a 29% increase in the overall population from 2000 to 2030. In contrast, the number of people 65-84 is expected to grow by approximately 100%, and the number of those 85 and older is expected to increase by 125%. Counselors will increasingly be called upon to meet the unique needs of this older population. One type of group that is gaining more attention for its ability to promote the

Aging Generation: says that older generations are a strong market for quality design, because they have time to enjoy all its benefits and they can afford it.

Growing up as a millennial technology has continued to evolve. It has become an issue though, because many individuals are constantly abusing and overusing it. It is hard not to use technology because it’s used for just about everything including work, school, and for our own personal use. It has become a very reliable source of communication, however, it is way too over used. This type of communication can cause us to distance ourselves from the outside world and cause physical and psychological harm to our bodies. “ “Digital Dementia”, is a term coined by top German neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer in his 2012 book of the same name, it is used to describe how the overuse of digital technology is resulting in the breakdown of cognitive abilities in a way that is more commonly seen in people who have suffered a head injury or psychiatric illness” (Gwinn). If people continue to rely on technology without