But Smith knew she was an underdog. “I’m female. I’m a black female. And I’m a black female over 60,” she asserts.“That’s three strikes.”

It wasn’t long before a fourth strike hit her like a punch in the stomach: Smith was computer illiterate. “At that point, I knew what I had to do. I had to jump in because nobody was going to give it to me.”

Through an AARP program that prepares older adults to enter the work force, Smith was hired as a secretary at the East Columbus Civic Association. The first day on the job, she told her boss she needed a typewriter, but the purchase order was never written. Through basic training and many reboot sessions, she’s learned to manage the office’s word processing, Publisher, and Lotus software.

“The other day, my boss told me that it takes some people months to learn Lotus. I really didn’t know it was that hard. If he’d told me earlier, I probably wouldn’t have touched it,” she muses.

For 69-year-old Smith, who recently celebrated her threemonth anniversary on the job, becoming computer savvy was a means of survival. Now she’s looking ahead. Maybe she’ll buy a home computer and start a small business, she says. Who knows?

Something's Missing

The Bush administration proclaims the digital divide is closing. Leaders point to research that shows more schools than ever are wired for Internet access, public-use computers are available in libraries, and workplaces are increasingly investing in computer technology. But in the American home, the gap in computer access and skills between the wealthy and the poor is more like a chasm, critics say. How, for instance, do you compare the learning experience of a middle-class child with a home computer to a youngster from a low-income family with Internet access only at school?

The digital divide issue and the debate about its true nature has been the subject of conferences, research papers, and initiatives in recent years. Academics, government leaders, and others argue over exactly how to define the problem: Is it about access, education, training, ethnicity, demographics, or poverty? Is the government solely responsible for bridging this divide? What about the private sector?

Regardless of the questions, the results so far have been focused mainly on America’s young. Money the U.S. government allocates for technology education has been poured into K-12 schools, and rightly so. To be productive in tomorrow’s work force, conventional wisdom suggests that today’s youngsters must be fluent in PC.

But what about America’s older folks, our retirees, our grandparents? Where do individuals such as Smith, who are part of the fastest growing segment of the population, fit in the dialogue?

“Something’s missing,” says Karen E. Riggs, an Ohio University associate professor and director of the School of Telecommunications. “When we talk about technology, there is a large segment of our population that is left out. As a society, we have a responsibility to bring older citizens into that institutional logic of new technology, and there needs to be a more aggressive outreach to older people.”

An expert on aging, Riggs has examined how the older work force is coping with radical technological changes in her book Granny @ Work: Aging and New Technology on the Job in America, recently published by Routledge. Drawing on extensive interviews, she brings to light issues of ageism in today’s technology-driven workplace, stereotypes about aging and technology, and the roles older adults might play in the workplace of the future.

Althea Smith’s experiences are reflective of the stories Riggshas gleaned from personal interviews with older women andmen of distinct backgrounds, financial status, and race. LikeSmith, millions of our nation’s elders are approaching an oftenintimidating intersection in their lives in which they must decidewhether to go full speed ahead into the technology realm orremain idle. Riggs’ book looks at the obstacles they confront astechnology literacy fast becomes a basic life skill.

Retirement Revolution

When Riggs’ grandparents left their cotton mill jobs in 1970 at ages 62 and 65, retirement was regarded as a fleeting moment before death. Her grandfather spent a few summers poking around the vegetable garden before dementia shut him down, and her grandmother soon after encountered a series of strokes and painful arthritis that have left her relatively immobile today in her early 90s.

Back then, Riggs says, the working class mantra went something like this: Work hard, retire, fish a little, and rest up until your time comes. Folks considered themselves lucky to live 10 years past retirement. After all, most had seen their parents and grandparents work until their last days, which for many came alarmingly early compared to today’s average life expectancy of 77 years.

Leaving work in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s was an anticipated event, Riggs says. Folks were living longer and collecting Social Security benefits, private pensions, and money from sound investments. Economic instability, however, shattered America’s traditional concept of retirement near the end of the 20th century. Companies began downsizing and cutting retirement plans, Social Security was dwindling, investments were bent to the will of the stock market, and younger generations were coming back home in their 20s and 30s because they couldn’t find work.

“When my parents were retiring with CDs that were returning 10 percent, they felt they could hold onto a solid nest egg that didn’t involve the stock market,” Riggs says. “But those days are gone. People who are now turning 55 and even 65 are having a difficult time contemplating retirement at the level their parents did or my parents did.”

Retirees are heading back to work in growing numbers, but for some, it’s not all about the mighty dollar. “Unless you’re one of the lucky few who can afford to go hiking in Nepal, it seems there should be something to apply yourself to,” Riggs says. “For a growing number of people, retirement doesn’t seem productive.”

For 72-year-old Francis Clark, working is as much about staying invigorated as it is about earning a paycheck. “When my husband passed away in 1993, I had to go back to work because I couldn’t live on just Social Security,” she says. “I didn’t mind, though. You can only stay at home so much and then you get bored. Working keeps you active; it keeps you thinking.”

Clark, along with several other over-55 women, works parttime in the AARP’s Senior Community Service Employment Program office in Columbus. They provide training, motivation, and guidance to low-income older adults who want to re-enter the work force. The AARP, through a federal grant under the Older Americans Act, pays enrollees a salary as they train in community nonprofit agencies to prepare for unsubsidized employment. Smith got her job at the East Columbus Civic Association through this program, and it’s how Clark got back into the job market after her husband died.

Work force re-entry was a bit jarring for Clark, whose longtime tools of the trade had been steno pads and typewriters. “When I had to go back to work, I found out that this was a computer world,” she says. “I was scared because I thought I might do something wrong on the computer, that I would wipe out everything. But after about six weeks, I was fine.”

Like all of today’s older adults, Clark was born into a mechanical world in which one could actually take a piece of machinery, peek in, and see how the parts work. Not any more.“I used to work on cars in the ’40s and ’50s with my dad,” Clark says. “You could take cars apart and work on them, but now you can’t even find a starter.” Society’s transition from mechanics to “black box” technology has left many older folks feeling confused and clueless, Riggs says. Machine parts are hidden, and systems are circuit-bound and not easily understood. But for elders who’ve embraced the transition, the technological revolution is a testament to their willingness to adapt.

“The generation that is now turning 70 has had to adjust to a lot, including television, VCRs, and cell phones,” Riggs says.“My grandmother grew up in a house with no lights or running water, and I kind of resent it when I hear people say older people can’t adjust to change. She got used to the lights and running water, and she’s gotten used to a lot more.”

Ageist Attitudes

Althea Smith is skilled at spotting stereotypes. It’s not an easy thing to do; stereotypes rarely are expressed in plain view. Most often, they’re hidden in tone of voice, body language, and, sometimes, by what someone’s not saying. Ask Smith about her experiences with ageism in the workplace, and she’ll tick off common stereotypes she’s encountered.

• If you’re over 60, you must be unhealthy. “I’ve been working for a year,” Smith says, “and I’ve only missed two days of work; one of those days, I was snowed in. Older people work hard at going to work.”

• In the business world, you’re washed up. “It’s not about your age; it’s what you can contribute,” she says. “Imagine the experience an older person can bring to a business. The work force needs older people, if nothing but to teach youngsters respect and how to be professional.”

• You’re technologically backward. “I’ll admit I don’t know everything, but don’t assume I can’t catch on quickly,” she says.

As fiercely as Smith seems to resist ageist labels, she admits it’s difficult not to let them seep into her consciousness.“It’s hard to hear these things over and over and not thinkthey’re true,” she reflects.

Such are the sentiments of many older adults who face ageism in the workplace or when they’re looking for jobs. Although more government leaders and creators of popular culture are waking up to the needs and interests of the growing graying population, there’s a lingering stigma associated with aging in society. The United States always has been a nation that’s fancied itself as young, Riggs says. Politicians, movie producers, and academics, among others, often avoid issues of aging — slowing metabolisms, arthritic fingers, and diminishing vision — because these topics remind them of their own mortality.

In the workplace, society’s cynical view of aging can translate into unfair comparisons between younger and older employees. It’s a pattern that causes tension among colleagues, ultimately resulting in a generational divide. “Older generations are being compared to Generation X, and to a great extent, the Millennials, who are simply Internet babies,” Riggs says. “They’re growing up with technology. They’ve had Game Boys since they could walk. The fact is, when we think of technology, we think about the young.”

For a manager, it may be more intuitive to choose 28-year-old Lisa to oversee the company’s new accounting software rather than 58-year-old John. What the manager probably isn’t considering, however, is although it may take John a little longer to learn the software, once he learns it, he’ll probably stay on the job longer, take fewer sick days, and be less likely to steal from the company than a younger employee. Studies of the work practices of older employees have confirmed these outcomes, Riggs says.

But not all managers practice ageism and not all employees second-guess the productivity of their older colleagues. What some see as a technology schism between older and younger employees is for others an opportunity to make connections between generations. In her research, Riggs found some older workers who, rather than being intimidated by their younger, more technologically advanced colleagues, were excited to learn from them.

“Sometimes we look for the younger people to tutor the older people, and that can be kind of endearing and can bring about bonds in the workplace,” Riggs says. “Of course, there are all kinds of rough edges to this. Some workers may be uncomfortable being coached by someone younger.”

Elders’ attitudes toward learning new technology are assembled from a mix of background, culture, and life experiences. For some folks, their personalities push them into the technology fray, while others remain passive.

Richard Blake says he never wants to feel obsolete. The 60- year-old veteran teaches children and adults computer skills at the South Side Community Enrichment and Learning Center in Columbus. Like Smith and Clark, he refuses to be pigeonholed by age. “To me, it’s important to stay current because I don’t want to feel old,” says Blake, who is visually impaired and uses special software to view his monitor. “I really enjoy working with people on computers, especially people my age. They’re always scared they’re going to break something, but I like getting them over the hump.”

How technology — the Internet, in particular — is portrayed in media also impacts people’s views about computers. In her research, Riggs met numerous older folks who would rather hit a Mack truck than the information superhighway.“They read in the newspaper that a pedophile got some 14- year-old to cross the state line with him.

"They read about the laws being difficult to enforce regarding protection of privacy and that people are losing their fortunes on the Internet,” she says. “The everyday event of looking on Google to find out how to get red wine out of your carpet is not making headlines.”

There’s good news, though. For those who have embraced it, the Internet has enhanced social connections with friends and family and opened up worlds of knowledge and information. Members of each generation — the Matures (born between 1909 and 1945), the Boomers (between 1946 and 1964), the Xers (between 1965 and 1978), and the Millennials (between 1979 and 1988) are connecting via technology. Another piece of good news: Studies show people aged 60-plus spend more time on the Internet than people of any other age group and have shown the largest increase in computer and Internet appliance purchases since 1988. Elders are busy researching genealogy, e-mailing grandchildren, looking for love online, shopping for prescriptions, and researching stock activity.

These so-called “senior surfers,” however, mostly are members of the middle and upper classes. Riggs says we need to begin thinking about the 65-year-old woman with a limited income, eighth-grade education, grandchildren to raise, and arthritis and hypertension to keep at bay. Where does she fit in?

A New Approach

Tobey Dichter was an executive at a large health care corporation when computers started to gain momentum as valuable tools in our social, educational, economic, and civic lives. When talking to patients — particularly older ones — she observed their apprehension toward anything technological.

“I always heard, ‘Oh no, dear, I’m too old. I’m too dumb to learn how to use a computer,’” Dichter says. “These were former high school teachers, lawyers, and CEOs.”

From a desire to bring elders along in this arena, Dichter founded the nonprofit organization Generations on Line in Philadelphia. With the help of software experts, she developed a Web-based software program that simplifies the Internet for older adults through the use of large type, easy-to-understand language, and instructional tips. Three years ago, her organization began distributing the software to libraries, senior centers, nursing homes, and public housing areas across the nation. Today, the program is used in community organizations in 46 states.

“I thought it was an abomination that our society wasmoving so quickly into something that would be so beneficialto older Americans and leaving them out,” Dichter says. “It’sbecome a civil rights issue as far as I’m concerned. You can’teven buy U.S. savings bonds without going online.”

Although organizations such as Generations on Line and others are making a difference, Riggs says, we won’t see technology access and education markedly improve for elders until public policies change. Riggs has specific ideas about those changes: lengthening the life of paid work so healthy workers who can contribute a few years after age 60 or 65 can do so; encouraging companies to be elder-friendly by giving them federal funding or other rewards for retention, re-education, and promotion of longtime workers; enforcing stronger legislation against age discrimination; and allocating more federal money for the training of older adults, especially those backed against income and education obstacles.

“We can make technology more readily available to people from all walks of life and make it more inviting,” Riggs says.“For example, every library in the country has public terminals available for people to use, but for many, it would never dawn on them to enter a library and use the Internet. We have to be more aggressive about letting people know it’s not a big deal and tell them that they can learn regardless of their education level or whether they have a computer at home.”

Some forward-thinking companies are tackling aging issues in the workplace under the guidance of such elder-activist organizations as AARP. Home Depot, for example, has begun to offer full benefits to part-time workers because the company wants to attract older employees, says Emily Allen, assistant national director of the AARP’s Senior Community Service Employment Program. “The work force is aging, and companies need to figure out how they’re going to recruit from nontraditional workers,” she says. “Plus, companies are realizing that older workers bring a wealth of experience to the job.”

One way companies can ease older employees into new technology is by building flexibility into the workplace, especially in technology training. For example, Riggs says, a manager may ask his employees to attend training classes every day from 9 a.m. to noon to learn a new technology platform. The class istaught by a trainer in his early 30s, and the median employeeage in the training session is 38. How are you going to feel ifyou’re 60 years old and a bit slow using the scroll bar?

“You get left behind,” Riggs says. “If you really want older adults to be included, think about how you’re going to offer training. You might work in small groups, have more tutorial time, or conduct a general introduction session to new technology.”

Transforming attitudes about aging has an obvious place in government and the workplace. Awareness about aging, however, should start in the home, where intergenerational connections can be a source of learning. When Riggs was an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the mid-90s, she taught a class in which students were assigned to spend time online with an older person, usually a parent or grandparent.

“What surprised me most is that the kids wound up so grateful for the opportunity to spend time with the older relative,” Riggs says. “What surprised the students is they saw up close what the relatives’ reservations were about technologies. I think in the future when these young people are presented with an opportunity to pass judgment on older workers because they‘can’t keep up,’ they are going to look at the situation in a creative way and say, ‘You know? I think you can keep up. Let’s go about this in a different way.’”

The intersection of aging and technology is an issue that will increasingly demand our nation’s attention, considering that in the United States home computer and Internet usage are present in more than half the nation’s households. What’s more, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the population of workers 55 and over will practically double from 18 million in 2000 to more than 33 million by 2025.

Before we can say the digital divide is bridged, Riggs says, wemust change the way we view elders as members of society,employees in the workplace, and figures in popular media. Andit’s going to take the influence of everyone — the Matures athome and work, Boomers nearing retirement, Xers at their desktops,and Millennials with Game Boys — to close the gap.

For more information about Riggs, visit
www.tcomschool.ohiou.edu/faculty/kriggs.htm.