Mini Challenge 2. The Problem Space.

by Cranberries 2:13 AM 0 comments

Ageism. The stereotyping of and discrimination against individuals or groups based on their age. 

1. What the need is ?

Majority of people approaching traditional retirement age do not actually want to retire.

For some, this may reflect the impact of poverty and a need to continue to work, but for most it appears that there is a broader interest in remaining active participants in society. [1]

2. Who has this need ?

Working individuals who retire after the age of 60 and do not wish to. 

3. Why this need is not well addressed through existing design ?

Current government policies do not allow an elderly to work post 60. No such system exists that might utilize the immense expertise and knowledge that they have acquired in their work all these years. If their experience can be used as a medium to educate and train the youth, it will not only keep the elderly occupied and interested but also will largely help to glorify the future of the youth and the world. 

4. Whether this need confirms or challenges existing stereotypes about older users ?

Some of the most important barriers to developing good public-health policy on ageing are pervasive misconceptions, attitudes and assumptions about older people (2, 3).

Flexibility and the opportunity to shift careers, work part-time or start a business is wanted. Indeed, there is some evidence that older people are acting on these ambitions and are good at these transitions. In the United States, 23% of new entrepreneurs during 2011–2012 were aged 55–64 (4), and twice as many successful entrepreneurs were older than 50 years of age than were under 25 (5).

References 

1. The SunAmerica Retirement Re-Set Study: redefining retirement post recession. Los Angeles: SunAmerica Financial Group; 2011 (http://www.agewave.com/research/retirementresetreport.pdf, accessed 4 June 2015).

2.Tam T, Hewstone M, Harwood J, Voci A, Kenworthy J. Intergroup contact and grandparent grandchild communication: the effects of self-disclosure on implicit and explicit biases against older people. Group Process Intergroup Relat. 2006;9(3):413–29. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1368430206064642

3. Butler RN. Ageism: a foreword. J Soc Issues. 1980;36(2):8–11. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1980.tb02018.x

4. Lin LP, Hsia YC, Hsu SW, Loh CH, Wu CL, Lin JD. Caregivers’ reported functional limitations in activities of daily living among middle-aged adults with intellectual disabilities. Res Dev Disabil. 2013 Dec;34(12):4559–64.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.09.038 PMID: 24139711

5. Holly K. Why great entrepreneurs are older than you think. In: Forbes Tech [website]. 2014 (http://www.forbes.com/sites/krisztinaholly/2014/01/15/why-great-entrepreneurs-are-older-than-you-think/, accessed 4 June 2015).

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