Digital consultation: Seniors conquer the world of technology in Darmstadt!

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In Hessen fördern Digitale Sprechstunden ältere Menschen, um digitale Kompetenzen zu stärken und digitale Kluften zu schließen.
In Hesse, digital consultation hours promote older people to strengthen digital skills and to close digital clings. (Symbolbild/ANAG)

Today, on April 27, 2025, almost a dozen seniors gather in the meeting room of the family center of the Darmstadt workers' welfare. This offer, which has existed for a year, aims to bring older people closer to dealing with modern technologies and recently welcomed three new participants. The topics of the advice include the operation of smartphones, the transfer of cell phone photos to notebooks and the safety of bank apps.

At the beginning of each session, an impulse presentation is offered, which, for example, deals with the topic of phishing. This digital consultation is part of a comprehensive project that brings digital applications closer to 60 bases at 60 bases. In this context, the FAZ State government in cooperation with the State Chancellery and the Digital and Senior Ministry was launched.

digitization and their challenges for seniors

Digitization is a special challenge for seniors. Statistics show that many older people in this area are digitally suspended. 88% of those surveyed in the microcensus 2023 use the Internet, but it is only 81% of the 65 to 74-year-olds and terrifying 46% of the over 75 year olds. For those under 70, 94.7% have internet access, while only 52.7% of the over 80s have a smartphone.

In addition to low use, internet competence is also worrying in older people. Only 49.7% of 60- to 69-year-olds appreciate their competence as good, while for the 70 to 79-year-olds this proportion is only 28.6% and the over 80s even drops to only 8.9%. At the same time, a study of 2022 shows that many highly altress people have a positive attitude towards digital technologies.

In order to meet these needs, the so -called digital spots offer support in the form of open consultation hours and excessive offers for fewer mobile seniors. There are now 550 digital spots in Hesse, which are active in 25 counties and independent cities.

funding and projects for digital participation

The State Chancellery has launched programs such as “Seniors online” in order to create needs -based offers. Klaus Reifert, Chairman of the Hesse State Department, is critical of "forced digitization" and "age discrimination", which unsettles many seniors and gives them the feeling of being left behind. In addition, the gap between urban and rural offers is reinforced for digital support.

300 local contact points will be set up as part of the nationwide “Digital Pact Alter” initiative by the end of the project. These focus on access to digital technologies and promote the social commitment of older people. The Bundesseniorenministry that education and digital skills for the social participation are of essential importance. Digitization offers numerous advantages, such as online banking and communication via video.

In this sense, the funding should be carried out regardless of gender, level of education, income, place of residence or disability. Additional programs such as "Digital Engel Plus" are devoted to the training of digital skills in older people. All of this is necessary to make the opportunities of digitization accessible to all older citizens and to promote their participation in the digital world.

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