Bridging Connectivity Issues in Digital Access and Literacy: Reflections on Empowering Vulnerable Older Adults in Singapore

Haikel A Lim; Joanne Sze Win Lee; Meng Han Lim; Lynn Pei Zhen Teo; Natalene Siew Wen Sin; Rou Wei Lim; Si Min Chua; Jia Qi Yeo; Nerice Heng Wen Ngiam; Angeline Jie-Yin Tey; Celine Yi Xin Tham; Kennedy Yao Yi Ng; Lian Leng Low; Kai Wen Aaron Tang

doi:10.2196/34764

Bridging Connectivity Issues in Digital Access and Literacy: Reflections on Empowering Vulnerable Older Adults in Singapore

JMIR Aging. 2022 May 3;5(2):e34764. doi: 10.2196/34764.

Authors

Haikel A Lim^{1

2

3}, Joanne Sze Win Lee^{2

4}, Meng Han Lim², Lynn Pei Zhen Teo^{2

5}, Natalene Siew Wen Sin^{2

5}, Rou Wei Lim^{2

6}, Si Min Chua^{2

7}, Jia Qi Yeo^{2

8}, Nerice Heng Wen Ngiam^{2

4

9}, Angeline Jie-Yin Tey^{2

4}, Celine Yi Xin Tham^{2

4}, Kennedy Yao Yi Ng^{2

10}, Lian Leng Low^#^{4

11}, Kai Wen Aaron Tang^#^{2

4

12}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, National Healthcare Group, Singapore, Singapore.
² TriGen, Singapore, Singapore.
³ Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.
⁴ Population Health and Integrated Care Office, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
⁵ National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
⁶ Division of Pharmacy, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
⁷ Punggol Polyclinic, Singapore Health Services, Singapore, Singapore.
⁸ National Healthcare Group Pharmacy, Singapore, Singapore.
⁹ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
¹⁰ Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore.
¹¹ Department of Family Medicine and Continuing Care, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.
¹² Department of Psychiatry, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore.

^# Contributed equally.

PMID: 35503520
PMCID: PMC9115659
DOI: 10.2196/34764

Abstract

This article describes a ground-up initiative for a volunteer-run digital literacy program in Singapore targeting vulnerable older adults, focusing on the barriers faced in running this program and training these beneficiaries. It further offers possible solutions to overcome these hurdles, providing insight for individuals or organizations seeking to start similar ground-up initiatives.

Keywords: Asia; COVID; COVID-19; COVID-19 pandemic; access; barrier; digital disparities; digital divide; digital literacy; digital literacy training; digital skill; elder; empower; health technology; low income; older adult; pandemic; social construction of health technologies; social isolation; volunteer; vulnerable.

©Haikel A Lim, Joanne Sze Win Lee, Meng Han Lim, Lynn Pei Zhen Teo, Natalene Siew Wen Sin, Rou Wei Lim, Si Min Chua, Jia Qi Yeo, Nerice Heng Wen Ngiam, Angeline Jie-Yin Tey, Celine Yi Xin Tham, Kennedy Yao Yi Ng, Lian Leng Low, Kai Wen Aaron Tang. Originally published in JMIR Aging (https://aging.jmir.org), 03.05.2022.