Mobile phone adoption : optimising value for older adults in a developing country

Abstract

Mobile phones in South Africa have enjoyed an unprecedented technology adoption rate due to their accessibility and usefulness. This prolific adoption of mobile phones diverts attention from their limitations which include small displays, restricted input and output facilities, and poor sound quality. The effects of aging, such as failing vision, impaired hearing, loss of memory and manual dexterity intensify mobile phone restrictions leading to further marginalisation of the elderly. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the suitability of the mobile phones available for older adult users in the South African context with special attention to the issues of developing communities. The findings indicate that most of the mobile phones available do not address the limitations of aging, even phones designed for the elderly do not meet many of the needs and expectations of older adult users. The situation is exacerbated by the finding that many older people do not choose their own mobile phone while salespeople and the relatives who select the phones for them are not knowledgeable about their needs. In response we propose a mobile technology adoption checklist that could inform the design and selection of mobile phones for the elderly. Given the socio-economic context of South Africa as a developing country, many older people do not have the luxury of selecting a new phone. They use a phone passed on from younger relatives and there the issue of training becomes relevant. This paper makes a theoretical contribution in verifying our findings against the literature on technology adoption for the elderly and highlighting the case for developing countries. From a practical perspective, researchers as well as organizations that design and market mobile phones for the elderly stand to benefit from the checklist for mobile phone selection.