Bringing IT To Everyone

Dementia sufferers and kidney dialysis patients are among some of the older people who have now experienced IT for the first time through an innovative partnership between Age Concern and Microsoft. Hundreds more older people will now benefit following Microsoft's announcement of over £100,000 worth of additional funding to establish three new MITS (mobile internet taster sessions).

Six initial projects were launched in 2000 in Blackburn, Hampshire, North Staffordshire, Okehampton, Hereford & Worcester and Warrington in day centres, residential and care homes ? opening up a whole new world of opportunity and learning.

There are a variety of MITS venues including a hospice where the computers provide mental stimulation for the patients without the need for physical activity and the projects involving dementia clients have been particularly successful. The emphasis with these older people has been on enabling them to participate in creative activities such as producing birthday cards rather than acquiring computer skills.

This renewed investment in the partnership will enable Age Concern to extend the MITS programme in Reading, Norfolk and Edinburgh. The idea behind MITS is to introduce the world wide web and email to older people who would otherwise find it very difficult to access because of disability, cost and geography.

This imaginative partnership has enabled older people to acquire new IT skills and explore their hobbies and interests and communications with friends and family, near and far, is facilitated. Emailing grandchildren and shopping on-line has now become a reality for over a thousand people across the country via the MITS projects.

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