The digital age

The popularisation of the internet has transformed the way Britons live, work and relax but there was always a risk that older people would be excluded from these digital advances. Now a new scheme from scientists at Sheffield University, Managed Access to Audio Visual and Information Services (Maavis) presents an opportunity for elderly people to enjoy the benefits of the internet.

As residents in one care home in the city have discovered, the touch-screen technology opens a new world of opportunities. For the 76-year-old former soldier, who was able to research the Egyptian barracks in which he served more than half a century ago, the web has helped bring back a long distant time of life. It shows that when society changes, the elderly need not be left behind.