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Capstone Projects
Bridging the grey divide of senior livelihood in Hong Kong for an age-friendly society: an inclusive approach
Explore possible approaches for senior citizens living in Hong Kong with more freedom and flexibility during the digital transformation widely covered in HK people's daily life. In order to access equality information in most essential aspects of life. This study explores ways to ease and bridge the recent social challenges of the digital divide. The goal is to shape positive aging for seniors living in Hong Kong and form an age-friendly society in the near future.

Tutor: Dr Joern Buehring

Annie W. Y. Hung
Annie W. Y. Hung
Program: MDes Design Strategies
Year of Graduation: 2023
Topic: Senior livelihood: an inclusive approach
Project Type: Focused Report
The objective of this study is to explore possible approaches for senior citizens living in Hong Kong with more freedom and flexibility during the digital transformation widely covered in HK people's daily lives. "The use of telecommunication is an alternative to maintaining social life and receiving health information, but the limited access to the internet and digital devices among the elderly, and limited digital literacy skills are the major barriers (Lau et al., 2021)'. The current digital social transformation impacted older adults' accessibility to equality information in most essential aspects of life, which created social challenges for them to live with life satisfaction, coping strategies, self-esteem, and self-actualization moving onward. This study aims to explore ways to ease and bridge the recent social challenges of the digital divide. The goal is to shape positive ageing for seniors living in Hong Kong and form an age-friendly society in the near future.
Local seniors in Hong Kong may struggle to adapt to the self-serve society transformation. There are many exclusive approaches in society, which are without emotional linkage. The usage of digital applications limits individuals' ability to access equal information as others, leading to reduced self-esteem and self-actualization, as a result, reduced their independence in dealing with essential daily tasks compared to the past.
Senior citizens can become more confident and willing to try self-service options for shopping, commuting, dining, banking, and government services, reducing their dependence on family and friends for instructional and informational support.
How might we leverage the key successful elements in the Hong Kong context to other aspects during the social transformation with an inclusive approach?
Inclusive design does not mean one universal design catering to all people in society but providing variants and alternatives, giving options for users and citizens to pick the means they feel comfortable using and access the equality information freely and flexibly based on their needs to complete their daily tasks effectively and efficiently.
Senior citizens can become more confident and willing to try self-service options for shopping, commuting, dining, banking, and government services, reducing their dependence on family and friends for instructional and informational support.
How might we leverage the key successful elements in the Hong Kong context to other aspects during the social transformation with an inclusive approach?
Inclusive design does not mean one universal design catering to all people in society but providing variants and alternatives, giving options for users and citizens to pick the means they feel comfortable using and access the equality information freely and flexibly based on their needs to complete their daily tasks effectively and efficiently.
© 2021 The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Design
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