OTLEY Action for Older People, a long-established charity supporting the elderly communities of Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale and Arthington, was recently selected by the BBC to feature in a programme highlighting digital issues.

Last month, a TV crew from Manchester made the journey over the Pennines to film at the charity’s offices in Otley.

As part of the filming, some of the charity’s service users tried their hand at a set of technological tests to showcase how elderly demographics are excluded as access to public and private services migrates online.

BBC cameras spent all day capturing the reactions of those involved, as well as their opinions on the demise of face-to-face interaction between services and the public; a method of communication which is now being rapidly phased out and experiencing divestment as organisations seek to cut costs within the public and private sectors.

The charity says the results of the BBC’s testing demonstrated that where online access is implemented, it must be done with due consideration of all stakeholders, to produce simple and intuitive processes with guidance throughout.

However, the day highlighted that non-online access options must remain open, rather than being neglected purely out of financial convenience to the service provider.

Otley Action for Older People has demonstrated that it recognises this growing issue by hiring a digital inclusion and development worker, a sadly necessary move to allow the third-sector organisation to continue to support elderly service users in an increasingly online world.

Otley Action for Older People intends to engage with businesses and organisations within their geographical remit to ensure that one of the most vulnerable sections of society is not abandoned out of corporate convenience.