Digital Equity For All Ages

Age should be no barrier to getting the most out of life – which is why on UN International Day of Older Persons ANZ’s Ben Kelleher is calling on us all to consider whether an older family member or friend might need some help with technology.

Digital technology has transformed our lives, fostering incredible innovation and changing the way we live, work and entertain ourselves.

But the rapid pace of change risks leaving some - in particular older people – behind.

Ensuring we can all age with dignity means making sure everyone has access to and can participate in what is an increasingly digital world.

That’s why we’re pleased to back the theme of this year’s United Nations International Day of Older Persons: “Digital Equity for All Ages”.

It’s something we take very seriously at ANZ.

Since last year, ANZ has seen an 11% increase in the number of customers registered for our digital channels - like ANZ Internet Banking and the goMoney mobile app - with the largest percentage increase coming from customers aged over 65.

{CF_VIDEO}

We know at times some of our older customers have struggled with the move to online banking.

During the Covid-19 lockdowns we saw some of these customers visit branches because they didn’t feel confident or didn’t have access to digital technology.

We were pleased to be able to help them with their banking needs, but this is not just an issue for the banking sector.

Age Concern New Zealand estimates 30% of seniors - more than 200,000 people - do not use the internet, compared to just 3% of those aged under 65.

This means they don’t have access to services such as banking and online shopping, along with digital entertainment and news services, making it difficult for them to stay connected with their communities.

It’s a challenge that has taken on even greater urgency during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially during the lockdowns, at a time when we are all encouraged to use the Ministry of Health’s contact tracing app.

“Ensuring we can all age with dignity means making sure everyone has access to and can participate in what is an increasingly digital world.”
- Ben Kelleher, Managing Director of Personal Banking, ANZ NZ Ltd.

Last year ANZ donated $500,000 to Age Concern New Zealand to help them develop a long-term digital literacy plan for the elderly.

Many of our staff have also been volunteering their time with local Age Concern teams to help with one-one-one digital banking workshops in branches and at retirement villages.

The workshops – which are open to everyone, not just our customers - have been a huge success.

They’re a chance to educate people about all things digital, not just their banking questions.

We’ve seen people gain confidence with their tech – finding new ways to use their smart devices, phones and laptops.

We’ve also been able to help people download and use the Covid-19 contact tracing app, which was a popular topic.

The workshops are all about empowering people so they can use the digital tools that are available to them and help them maintain their independence.

They’re also an opportunity to show people the importance of staying safe online.

As we all know, an unfortunate consequence of our connected world is the growth in online scams.

It’s a concern shared by the United Nations. As part of its Day of the Older Person it has warned that cybercrimes and misinformation threaten the human rights, privacy and security of older people.

Our workshops and our website offer tips to prevent people becoming a victim of fraud.

The UN International Day of Older Persons is a good time to reflect on the contribution our elders make to society.

New Zealand has around 750,000 people aged over 65. By 2034 it is estimated this will increase to more than 1.2 million.

Age should be no barrier to getting the most out of life – and to contributing.

This is also a good time to consider whether an older family member or friend might need some help with technology.

More than once in our workshops our staff spoke to people who said they either couldn’t get family to help them, or were embarrassed to ask.

As our staff have found, helping someone gain confidence online is a rewarding experience – for them and for you.

It also plays an important role in ensuring our seniors can access and participate in our increasingly digital world.

Find out more about ANZ's 'Banking Made Easy'