Eric Taub at the  NYTimes pulls togehter an excellent review of the potential, and increasingly actual value that older people can gain from effective use of ICT in their lives.

My mother, born in a Belarussian village before the advent of commercial radio, was by her late 90s using a cellphone, receiving e-mail messages from her family and asking me “what is this Twitter thing anyway?” ... Contrary to stereotypes, computers, social networks, e-mail and even video games are becoming essential parts of older peoples’ lives.

Some of the highest growth rates in broadband use are happening among the elderly. The Pew Research Center found that broadband use for those 65 and older increased from 19 percent in May 2008 to 30 percent in April 2009. Since 2005, broadband use has tripled in that group.

Although challenges remain for many older people, any number of products can help them become more involved in the digital age. Here’s a look at some of the most popular ones.

• IT ALL STARTS WITH THE PC While many digital devices like cameras or cellphones don’t require a PC, their use can be enhanced with a computer by helping users transmit photos or easily update a mobile phone address book.
• For those concerned that Microsoft’s Windows interface is too daunting for elders, Big Screen Live simplifies the standard interface, .... Changes like fewer buttons, color-coded commands and larger type ease the Windows experience.
• Video chatting has become a popular way to ease the isolation experienced by many older people with limited mobility. Free programs like Skype and iChat, and the built-in webcams on many computers, make it easy to do.
• [...] In addition to online chats, Internet-connected digital picture frames from companies like Ceiva, D-Link and Kodak allow friends and family to continually send new images, helping older or less mobile people keep up with events.
• PawPawMail takes the complexity out of [email]. For $5 a month, users transmit and receive mail through PawPawMail’s Web site, which features simple graphics, large type and real names rather than potentially confusing e-mail addresses. [This is also cool] The account manager, typically a younger family member, sets up the account, creating a list of approved e-mail senders; spammers and phishers cannot get through.

While imagining your elderly uncle using high-tech devices to keep in touch might at first seem far-fetched, it’s only a matter of time before it is second nature. Just remember: today’s Web jockeys are tomorrow’s grandparents

As we move into a world where there are many more elderly people and where to cost (both financial and physical) of travel are rising, ICT is being increasingly touted as essential to maintaining connections, be they for business or family.

But are those organisations who work a lot with older people getting with the Kaupapa? Do you assumer that they won't have, or want to use, electronic communications just because of their age?

What attempts do you make to check that? How do you adapt your own use of ICT to meet older people's needs in their use of it?

Stories of success and failure in the comments please.

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