Research and analysis
Future of ageing: effect of technology on support networks
The average age of the UK population is expected to increase significantly over the coming decades. This change will bring both challenges and opportunities for central and local government, with impacts on a wide range of public services.
The ‘Future of an ageing population’ project provided state of the art scientific evidence to government. This evidence was intended to form the basis for a range of policies and actions to:
- maintain wellbeing throughout life, for all individuals regardless of their generation
- improve quality of life for older people and enable them to participate more fully in society
- ensure everyone can access the tools and facilities to help them live a long and healthy life
This report reviews evidence on how changes in information and communication technology might affect the ability of older people to maintain social networks of support. It considers both traditional and new forms of social media, along with technological advances in support such as robotics and telecare.
