Ageing Well: Using Pervasive Information System for Empowerment of Indian Elderly People

Population of older persons in India is increasing rapidly but elder-friendly environment is hardly seen in the country. Resultantly majority of older persons are confined to remain marginalized, isolated and neglected as well. In this changed situation, we need to find ways to motivate and assist older people to stay active for longer in mainstream activities, to prevent social isolation and promote societal inclusion and finally to help people stay independent for as long as possible.
Pervasive Information Systems including Web 2.0 technologies can play a major role in order to help achieve the above goals. ICT can help elderly individuals to improve their quality of life, stay healthier, live independently for longer, and counteract reduced capabilities which are more prevalent with age.
The objective of this project is to study the effectiveness of ICT as an enabler to promote a better quality of life for older people. Three areas of user needs are to be addressed:

• Ageing well at work or "active ageing at work": Staying active and productive for longer, with innovative, flexible, self-generated employment opportunities, using ICT skills and competencies and ICT enhanced learning (resp. e-skills and e-learning).
• Ageing well in the community: Staying socially active and creative, through ICT solutions for social networking, as well as access to public and commercial services, thus improving quality of life and reducing social isolation (one of the main problems of older people in rural, scarcely populated areas, as well as urban areas with limited family support).
• Ageing well at home: Enjoying a healthier and higher quality of daily life for longer, assisted by technology, while maintaining a high degree of independence, autonomy and dignity.

Publications:

1. Priyadarshini Dey, Arina Bardhan and Somprakash Bandyopadhyay, “Architecting a Social Media based e-Learning Environment for Primary Education of Underprivileged Children by Senior Citizens of India”, Presented at the Social Media 2014: 19th Int’l Education and Technology Conference, Hong Kong. 15 -17th April, 2014.
2. Kalyan S Mandal, Somprakash Bandyopadhyay, Shrabastee Banerjee, and Priyadarshini De, “Role of ICT In Mitigating Social Problems”, Presented in XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology on Facing an Unequal World: Challenges for Global Sociology, Yokohama, July 13-19, 2014, Japan.
3. Arina Bardhan , Priyadarshini Dey ,and Somprakash Bandyopadhyay, “ Connecting Generations: Creation of Web based Virtual Communities for Imparting Formal and Informal Education to the Underprivileged Children by Elderly Community,” Presentated in IFA 12th Global Conference on Ageing, Hyderabad, India, June, 2014
4. Arina Bardhan, SomprakashBandyopadhyay and Kalyan S Mandal, “Redefining the role of elderly as facilitator to educate young generation through Information and Communication Technology”, Presented in International Conference on Ageing Well-Social and Managerial Challenges (ICAW) held in Kochi, Kerala.17- 19th January 2014.
5. Somprakash Bandyopadhyay, Sagar Bose, Arpan Pal, “ Creation of an Assisted Living Environment for Elderly People using Ubiquitous Networking Technologies” Presented at CSI – 2012: 47th Annual National Convention of CSI: International Conference on Intelligent Infrastructure, Kolkata, Dec 2012.
6. Somprakash Bandyopadhyay, Vaybhav Shaw, Aadrita Banerjee, Debopriyo Nag, "Social Knowledge Management: Use of Social Media for Disseminating Informal Wisdom of Elderly to the Youth" International Conference on Knowledge, Innovation and Enterprise in London, United Kingdom, in September 2013.