Spain tackles the elderly's biggest challenge: learning how to use online services

People over the age of 60 did not grow up in a digital world and often struggle to keep pace with rapidly evolving apps and online services. Yet they are far from giving up.

That is the message behind the Digital Skills +60 programme in Malaga, where the most popular workshop has focused on carrying out everyday tasks online.

"This reflects the need many older people feel to become more independent when managing day-to-day tasks such as booking medical appointments, dealing with public administration or shopping online," the organisers said.

The programme, run by Red.es and Fundación 'la Caixa', has helped 224 people in Malaga develop digital skills with one clear aim: reduce the digital divide affecting older adults and enable them to live more independently in an increasingly digital society.

Across Spain, the initiative has trained almost 22,000 people aged over 60, helping them gain confidence and independence in a world that can feel unfamiliar to anyone who did not grow up with digital technology.

The partnership has enabled the programme to reach every region of Spain, with workshops taking place in all 17 regions as well as the autonomous city of Ceuta.

The organisers have delivered 2,263 face-to-face workshops in 350 collaborating centres for older people, allowing participants to learn in familiar, accessible surroundings close to home.

The training follows a progressive structure built around three main themes.

The first, digital environment, introduces participants to their devices, teaches safe internet use and explains the basic technology they encounter in everyday life.

The second, participants how to use the internet for leisure, entertainment and information, from planning cultural activities to accessing digital content that interests them.

The third, communication and social media, helps older people stay in touch with family and friends through digital technology, reducing social isolation and making it easier to maintain regular contact with loved ones.

The profile of those taking part challenges many stereotypes about older people's relationship with technology.

According to Fundación 'la Caixa', the almost 22,000 participants range in age from 60 to 96. While every age group has been well represented, people aged over 76 account for almost 30 per cent of all participants nationwide.

The figures demonstrate that advanced age is no barrier to learning when people receive the right support and teaching methods.

The programme has also attracted people from a wide range of educational backgrounds. Four in ten participants had only basic qualifications or no formal education, highlighting the organisers' efforts to make the workshops accessible to everyone.

Fundación 'la Caixa', which has many years of experience supporting older people through its older people programme, says the project's success extends well beyond teaching digital skills.

The foundation believes the initiative has strengthened participants' independence, helped them feel more included in an increasingly digital society and created new social connections.

By attending the workshops in person, participants have not only learned how to use technology but also had the opportunity to meet others, share experiences and build new friendships and support networks within their local communities.

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