Young People Help Older People in Care Homes Get Online

With a majority of over 65s unable to access the internet a new scheme has been set up. It is called Adopt A Care Home and involves engaging young people in helping care home residents get online.

The young people who have volunteered to help older residents in this way are drawn from schools, colleges, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and other groups.

The idea of bringing old and young together in this productive way is the brainchild of Lilla Harris, a care home manager herself and a former nurse. With her partner Howard Bashford she founded an organisation called Finerday which helps older people share photos and messages with family and friends online and thus prevent them becoming isolated.

Mr Bashford said: "Lilla told me that every morning the residents still went down for their post, but there wasn't any. Over the years, she'd seen old photos fading. We decided to try to do something about it."

The intergenerational scheme has been recognised by Race Online the initiative headed by Martha Fox. The organisation aims for digital inclusion by next year of everyone in the UK who is of working age and regards older people as the most difficult to reach. There are 10.3 million over 65s in the UK and 62% have never used the internet, according to Race Online. It's a high percentage considering that overall just 17% are not internet users.

Mr Bashford said that it was "just one of those magic moments" when the idea came to him of bringing younger people in to the care homes where staff supported the initiative but themselves lacked time and resources to help the residents.

At South Lodge Care Home one delighted resident, 75-year-old Doreen Burton has been helped by two 16-year-old boys from the citys' St Paul's Catholic schools to scan in old photos to which she has added captions that they have typed in for her.

Some residents at the home have even bought their own computers to use in their rooms. South Lodge activities manager Alex Reffell said: "Some residents can be a bit resistant to new technology but others are really relishing it. They see it as wonderful what they can do."

The most amazing story is of Enid Adamson, 87, who thought she would never again speak to her daughter who lives in New Zealand. Now she is now able to talk to her once a week on Skype with a microphone, a large screen and webcam.

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