OLDER ADULT TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY AND TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION

Older adults with low technology experience may not have the proficiency to take advantage of technology to support wellbeing, independence, and productivity. Low proficiency may then reinforce the decision not to adopt technology. This talk will discuss the critical role of technology proficiency with respect to adoption and how to measure proficiency across common computing platforms (desktop and tablet computers). Data from two large intervention studies will explore the proficiency of socially isolated older adults and how proficiency relates to previous and subsequent technology use. New brief measures of proficiency designed for research and training purposes will be highlighted.