In October, the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET) plays host to an important seminar, ‘Designs on the Games’, which will highlight the need to improve accessibility to major public events for the disabled and elderly people. The seminar is based on a background report by RNIB chief scientist, John Gill, but is essentially looking ahead to future major sporting events (including the 2012 Olympic Games) and how access to these can be improved for the disadvantaged and aged members of our community.
Dr Gill’s report sets out to urge government departments, standards-setting organisations, manufacturers and user bodies to help make life easier for people with disabilities by employing modern technologies such as RFID and biometrics. It makes special mention of easing the path for people attending the 2012 Olympic Games, whether affected by mobility, visual, dexterity, speech or hearing impairments.
Dr Gill believes there is a commercial ‘carrot’ to be gained, despite any standards ‘stick’ that might need to be wielded. Those manufacturers who take into account the needs of disabled and older people from the start of the product development process, he says, are more likely to win the rich contracts that these events necessarily provide. Moreover, good system design will ultimately benefit all visitors to such events – able-bodied or disabled. And there lies the rub of Dr Gill’s argument.
The seminar takes place almost four years to the day that the Disability Discrimination Act came into force in the UK. The race to add ramps to public and commercial buildings, widen accesses and apply power to doors was clear evidence of compliance, but the spirit of the legislation seems to have been lost in this limited interpretation. There is a much broader remit for designers, if only they’d consider the financial as well as the humanitarian rewards.
The 2001 Census revealed that, for the fist time, there are more people over the age of 60 than there are children in this country. On Census Day 1951, there were 0.2 million people aged 85 and over (0.4% of the population); by Census Day 2001, this had grown to just over 1.1 million (1.9% of the population). Older people control a large proportion of the wealth of this country and may have substantial disposable incomes; older people are also remaining economically active for longer.
Despite the stereotypes we love to hold up as wholly representative of an ageing generation, there is not a shred of evidence to suggest that older people are, by definition, ‘technology averse’. Forget derogatory terms like ‘digital aliens’ – there are a lot of people of mature years out there who are able to make best use of available information and communication technology (ICT) systems; and a lot more would embrace the ICT revolution if products were better designed. Does this not suggest that there are market opportunities for the canny manufacturer?
As far back as the 1990s, a Royal Commission report estimated that the cost of long-term formal care for the elderly could rise from the then GBP11.1bn (1.6% of GDP) to GBP45.3bn in 2051 (1.9% of GDP at that time). The Commission also noted that appropriate technology could provide solutions to the problem of providing care for older people. And we are not just talking power sockets re-located to waist height here. Technology for the elderly and disabled covers a vast range of products and services, not least being communications devices, ‘smart’ domestic appliances and easy Internet access.
With age, unfortunately, often comes disability and we should remember that the mobile ‘phone keypad that we can see and handle easily today, may one day become unusable for reasons of impaired sight and poor dexterity. There is a simple philosophy in all this - that young, able-bodied people should not think they are designing for the disabled, but for their future selves. Truly ‘universal’ design considers the needs of everybody – able-bodied and disabled. Features that make a product accessible to the latter group generally make its use easier for all. We grow old and our needs change as sight, hearing, mobility and strength decline. Products designed to meet all capabilities continue to be usable well into old age.
The seminar, ‘Designs on the Games’ will be held at the IET’s Savoy Place headquarters in London on October 7, and is free to all comers; simply register at www.tiresias.org/phoneability/games. Earlier this year, Dr Gill published a set of guidelines for designers of accessible ICT systems; more information is available at www.tiresias.org/guidelines.
Les Hunt
Editor
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