Cyber Engagement
Social Network for the Elderly
Senior Citizen Home Safety Association
Cyber Engagement 老友網 is an online Information & Communication portal specially designed for senior citizens. The portal innovatively brings a social media network lifestyle into our senior citizens' living as well as the services for them and at the same time, it creates a new channel for the development of social media network.
There are a variety of websites designed for senior citizens locally but there is a lack of a complete online communication platform. The younger generations perhaps are expecting a social media way to keep in touch with their seniors; unfortunately, the complex and flashy interface design and operation of the popular social network nowadays are keeping the seniors away. Senior Citizen Home Safety Association (the Association), which has been providing multi-faceted services to the seniors in the local community aims to help aligning seniors' living with the technology trend and the social demand, and subsequently to enhance the quality of living for the seniors, the Association has therefore assigned tremendous resources to develop a social media network for the seniors - Cyber Engagement 老友網.
To breakthrough the traditional mode of elderly website which only delivers information or merely concentrates on off-line activities, Cyber Engagement 老友網 creates for elders a series of online activities such as relative & friend invitation, e-Family Tree, discussion forum, blog and photo sharing etc. Other than general social networking, Cyber Engagement 老友網 makes functions more creative for the seniors, and consistently focuses on their personal need. The e-Family Tree can generate a virtual big family hierarchy. The seniors can also customize their own content template to suit their need. The magnifying lens enhances their reading competency etc.
Whilst the youngsters have Facebook and professionals have Linkedin, the seniors are now having Cyber Engagement 老友網 to create and enjoy their own virtual community lifestyle. This will surely help steering the further development of Cyber Engagement 老友網 in social media network.
Cyber Engagement 老友網 provides general information and services to all visitors to stimulate their interest. Personalized and interactive features are provided only to registered members of "Silver Age Club". As there is no age limit, Cyber Engagement 老友網 is designed to facilitate cross generation engagement.
For General Visitors
- Diary-type information - include Chinese Lunar Calendar, real-time weather report, Famous Quotes
- Latest News - the latest news update for general interest
- Activity Information - distribute activity information in the portal and to solicit participation
- WE Channel - a video channel for various interests and topics
- Tips from Expert - inviting subject matter experts to write articles to share professional knowledge
- Life Style - contain information regarding to lifestyle interest
- Forum - public online forum
- Blogs - public blogs
- User-friendly accessibility tools such as magnifying lens, font size adjustment etc
- Online Donation
- Detailed service information of the Association
For Members
The members can enjoy a range of dedicated interactive features as below:
- Personal profile
- Personalized template - to manage their own template for preferred content display
- Creating social networks for friends and family members
- Personalized Calendar
- Creating e-Family Tree - to facilitate cross generation engagement
- Creating eBook to publish their personal life experiences and other interests
- Photo Album - allow photo sharing
- Forum and Blog - personalized privacy setting
- Members' Reward Program - a bonus point system to offer rewards to frequent visitors
Cyber Engagement 老友網 opens registration to guests of all ages. It aims at allowing youngsters to refer seniors to the portal or vice versa.
The nature of the social media network enables members to connect with each other, to team up and to expand.
Shortly within 3 months after the launch of Cyber Engagement 老友網, the population of registered and active members has reached nearly 2,000 with a majority belongs to the silver aged. It is expected that the registered members shall reach 5,000 within a year.
The interactive features of Cyber Engagement 老友網 are forward looking and have great flexibility for future development. Undoubtedly Cyber Engagement 老友網 can create insight for other social service vendors on the development of similar websites or silver hair products for the elderly. The silver age in foreseeable future are better educated, professional and skillful , knowledgeable , receptive to technology and are socially active. The existing interactive system has already accommodated sufficient capacity to segment the senior population into a wide range of interest groups with more customized online services.
According to the Hong Kong population projections 2012-2014 by Census and Statistics Department, the proportion of people age 65 and above will reach 30% of the total population. There is imminent demand of social welfare service for the elderly in the years to come. The Association is therefore planning to explore and to develop collaborations between Cyber Engagement 老友網 and other social service networks in order to establish a wider range of services to the seniors.
