El smartphone en la inclusión digital del adulto mayor

In today's world, where the population is aging and technology is rapidly advancing, research is exploring the potential of smartphones as a tool to promote digital inclusion for older adults, enhancing their quality of life by fostering conditions that support their personal and social well-being. A qualitative intervention was conducted over two weeks, consisting of six remote sessions for ten participants, who were spread across three remote cities (including both urban and rural areas) and divided into two groups of five. Review materials were shared via YouTube and WhatsApp to address achievements, questions, and provide guidance, aiming to encourage participants to develop digital skills and learn how to learn independently. The participants were women aged between 55 and 70, with higher education, internet access, and their own smartphones, which they primarily used for basic phone calls and instant messaging through text and images. As a result, the average increase in digital skills mastery achieved through the course was 37%. The specific improvements in various areas were as follows: basic cell phone use (16%), panic button (69%), WhatsApp (15%), email (22%), cloud storage (38%), accessibility features (50%), screen readers (69%), information search (50%), YouTube (53%), Play Store (40%), and banking apps (31%). It was concluded that configuring personalized accessibility options, setting up the emergency button, using mobile apps in daily activities, and fostering independent learning through smartphones and the internet all contributed to promoting digital inclusion among the older adults participating in the study