The digital divide

The digital divide is the gap results from inequalities in access to information technologies and the skills needed to use them effectively. As communications, services and commerce continue to go digital, those who do not have these resources are marginalized. Some factors that can contribute to the divide are income, education, geographic location, age, and disability.

Technologies that were designed without accessible options for older adults and people with disabilities can contribute to the divide. Computer workstations that lack ergonomic modifications or mobile devices with small buttons can pose a physical barrier to people with mobility disabilities, for example. Small displays without magnification tools or screen reading technologies can pose a barrier for those with vision impairments. An interface assumed to be intuitive by its designer can pose a challenge for users with cognitive disabilities.

The implementation of assistive technologies in libraries can help mitigate these factors. Library facilities, services and resources should be evaluated for their accessibility, and librarians should be willing to seek and implement solutions to these barriers. Beyond the simple implementation of these technologies, library staff should be trained in the use of these technologies and prepared to assist in their use.

Another contributor to the divide is lack of skill in using newer technologies. Libraries can help users of all ages and abilities to better utilize technology through classes and one-on-one assistance. Library staff should be prepared to teach patrons with a wide range of backgrounds and abilities, and should have an understanding that what seems easy and accessible for some, may not be for all.

Disability culture

There is strength in culture and community, and vulnerability in isolation. I believe that a major part of the role of libraries is to empower their patrons, and to connect people to the resources needed to empower themselves.

Part of the processes of empowerment and self-advocacy is connecting with others who have had similar experiences. Connecting with the culture of disability can help individuals learn to take pride in themselves and their communities and begin to combat the messages of inferiority and shame that are propagated by the dominant culture (Mackelprang & Salsgiver, 2009, p. 128).

Libraries can help by providing the resources and community space for people to connect to the disability community (Mackelprang & Salsgiver, 2009, p. 129). They can reach out to the disability community for resources and advocacy information, which they can in turn make available to their patrons and use to become better service practitioners.

References

Mackelprang, R., & Salsgiver, R. (2009). Disability: A diversity model approach in human service practice (2nd ed.). Chicago: Lyceum Books.

Understanding oppression

Understanding that people with disabilities experience oppression is absolutely essential in the context of libraries and information agencies. A necessary part of providing effective information services is understanding the inequalities which have shaped our society, our attitudes, and our institutions.

The nature of oppression is that it is propagated by complacency. People with privilege – in this case, people who do not have disabilities – must examine and challenge our own problematic attitudes if we want to be part of the solution to oppression, not part of the problem.

We may mean well, but as people who have not experienced ableist oppression, unexamined ableist attitudes can still worm their way into our interactions. These microaggressions (“Ability,” n.d.) can make people with disabilities feel belittled and unsafe, and it is essential for libraries to be maintained as safe spaces for the pursuit of information and services. The hostile environment created by prevailing ableist attitudes in any institution, especially by the professionals working there, will make people less willing to seek assistance there, or less convinced that there is real assistance to be had. This has a chilling effect on access.

In working with people with disabilities as an information professional, I will strive to learn about ableism in our society, examine my own attitudes, and work to disassemble attitudes that are problematic. I will resist any temptation to dismiss the concerns of people with disabilities and their allies (and strive to be an ally myself); I will listen and consider. I will work to ensure that the services and resources I provide are inclusive and helpful for people with disabilities and other oppressed groups.

References

Ability. (n.d.). The Microaggressions Project. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://microaggressions.com/tagged/ability

Local library and community services for older adults

Detroit Public Library

Most of the Detroit Public Library’s services for older adults are offered through the Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services. This branch includes the Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, offering “Books on Tape, Digital Books, Large Print books, Descriptive Videos, regular print books about disabilities, and reference sources on the ADA” (“Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped,” n.d.) This collection, though it does not specifically target the older population, is likely to serve a large population of older people who acquired disabilities later in life.

The Douglass Branch also hosts the AARP Tax-Aide Program, which offers tax preparation assistance to “Taxpayers with low and moderate income, with special attention to those age 60 and older” (“Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services,” n.d.). DPL’s bookmobile service, Library on Wheels, also operates out of the Douglass Branch, bringing library services to schools and senior centers (“Library on Wheels,” n.d.).

Wayne State University Library System

A review of the WSULS website turned up little information pertaining to services specifically for older adults (“University Libraries,” n.d.). Some links to senior health information are provided on the Community Health Information Services website, which is a service of the Shiffman Medical Library (“Internet Health Resources,” n.d.).

Community organizations

An internet search for local organizations turned up several senior centers and agencies. The following is not an exhaustive list, but a sampling of what is available.

The Detroit Area Agency on Aging provides advocacy support; disseminates information, including a newsletter and radio show; offers programs for seniors, including legal and health information; sponsors Meals on Wheels; and performs and disseminates research (“Detroit Area Agency on Aging,” n.d.).

The City of Detroit Senior Citizens Department advocates for Detroit senior citizens in city legislation and policy, and provides information assistance to seniors seeking services (“Senior Citizens Department,” n.d.).

St. Patrick Senior Center provides a health care clinic, classes and activities for senior citizens. (“St. Patrick Senior Center,” n.d.).

The Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation offers housing, classes and services for senior citizens and also promotes volunteerism and community involvement for seniors (“Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation,” n.d.).

Community Partnerships

Libraries can partner with community and advocacy organizations, especially those serving a marginalized group with special needs, to great benefit. The library and its programs can benefit from the expertise of organizations specializing in certain sectors of the population, which can result in better tailored services for patrons, and organizations can benefit from the physical space, resources, and community accessibility of the library.

References

Detroit Area Agency on Aging. (n.d.). Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.daaa1a.org/DAAA/

Detroit Subregional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. (n.d.). Detroit Public Library. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroit.lib.mi.us/specialservice/detroit-subregional-library-blind-and-physically-handicapped-lbph

Frederick Douglass Branch for Specialized Services. (n.d.). Detroit Public Library. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/branch/douglass

Internet Health Resources. (n.d.). Community Health Information Services. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lib.wayne.edu/sites/chis/ihr.php

Library on Wheels. (n.d.). Detroit Public Library. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroitpubliclibrary.org/specialservice/library-wheels-low

Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. (n.d.). The Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.hannan.org/

Senior Citizens Department. (n.d.).City of Detroit. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.detroitmi.gov/DepartmentsandAgencies/SeniorCitizensDepartment.aspx

St. Patrick Senior Center. (n.d.).St. Patrick Senior Center. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.stpatseniorcenter.com/about/overview.htm

University Libraries. (n.d.). Wayne State University. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lib.wayne.edu/

Race, ethnicity and aging

This assignment is a response to the following query:

Explain why diversity within the Hispanic older community leads to different experiences of aging for members of different subgroups. Give specific examples of the diverse responses to aging within the Hispanic American minority group. (Novak, 2009, p. 186)

Breaking down a demographic group such as Hispanic or Latino¹ into smaller subgroups, such as by nation of origin as illustrated in Novak (2009, pp. 174–178), allows a more nuanced understanding of the group based upon differing trends within each subgroup. Useful examples are the relatively lower poverty rates and higher rates of independent living for Cuban Americans compared with other Latino American subgroups (Novak, 2009, pp. 176–178).

It is essential to keep in mind, however, that within any given demographic group is an innumerable multitude of diversity which the overarching label does not account for. While labeling populations can be useful for gaining a better understanding of their needs, it is dangerous to view any group, or subgroup, as monolithic.

The overarching label of “Latino” includes people who identify as white and of color; people who were born inside and outside the United States; people who are fluent and not fluent in English; people who are fluent and not fluent in Spanish; people who descend primarily from Aboriginal North, Central and South Americans; people who descend primarily from European settlers and countless combinations of the two groups and others; etc.

These statistics and generalizations can help librarians to better prepare to meet the information needs of their communities at large and combat inequalities in information access. However, to assume we already know something of the lives of the people we meet based upon these anecdotes and statistical trends is to risk further alienating the individuals we are trying to serve.

Footnotes

¹ After considering the two terms and discussing their meanings with friends and colleagues who identify as part of this demographic, I have chosen to use the term “Latino” rather than “Hispanic.” A well-framed discussion of the connotations of each term can be found in Vázquez (N.d.).

References

Novak, M. (2009). Issues in aging (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Vázquez, R. L. (n.d.). ¿Hispanic or Latino? las Culturas. Retrieved February 12, 2012, from http://www.lasculturas.com/aa/aa070501a.htm

Media representations

For this assignment, I have reviewed some popular media sources for their portrayals of older people and people with disabilities. The source I would like to focus on for this exercise, however, is a comedy show on FOX called Raising Hope. I have focused on the episode “Mrs. Smartypants” (Kirschenbaum, Mariano, & Gordin, 2012).

The most prominent representation of an older individual is the character of “Maw Maw,” played by Cloris Leachman, age 85. Maw Maw shares a home with her granddaughter Virginia, her grandson-in-law Burt, her great-grandson Jimmy, and her infant great-great-granddaughter Hope.

The main source of comedy for the character of Maw Maw is her dementia. She spends a great deal of her time in the background, with the comedy springing from her strange behaviors, obliviousness to the world around her, and flashes to the past. During the opening scene of this
episode, she is seen in the background of the shot, wearing her panties and bra on the outside of her clothing. The other characters, for the most part, ignore her.

She has temporary periods of “lucidity” where she takes a somewhat more active role in the plot. In this episode, for example, Virginia attempts to “catch Maw Maw while she’s lucid” to have Maw Maw tutor her in history. Maw Maw, accompanying on the piano, teaches her in song about the major wars of the United States. When Maw Maw is not in her “lucid” state, however, she is dismissed by the other characters. At one point, Virginia, Jimmy and Burt ask her to give them a math problem. When they do not understand the (legitimate) problem she recites, Burt asks, “Is she even lucid right now?

It is worth saying that Leachman’s performance as Maw Maw is genuinely funny. She is a supremely skilled comedic actor, and she appears to have a great deal of fun in the role. However, her character is seldom utilized as more than a joke or prop. The other characters ordinarily dismiss her, and occasionally use her, and I perceive no evidence of the show’s writers and directors having any level of self-awareness regarding this treatment.

Maw Maw’s dementia, too, is treated as a gag. The narratives I have heard of people with dementia and their loved ones, as well as my own experiences with my grandfather, paint a different picture. It can be deeply painful and frustrating both for the person with the condition and their loved ones. This is absent from the show.

I am not saying that they should paint Maw Maw as a tragic figure, or show only the difficulty and pain of living with dementia. After all, it is a comedy show. I’m not saying they should not feature a character with dementia, either. There is humor to be found in any situation in life. I would, however, like to see a more nuanced treatment of Maw Maw, one that does not completely brush aside the reality of her life, while still finding genuine humor in it. One that engages her more fully in the show instead of relegating her to the background until they need a gag. I think the show would be stronger for it.

References

Kirschenbaum, A. (Writer), Mariano, M. (Writer), & Gordin, E. (Director). (2012). Mrs. Smartypants [Television series episode]. In G. Garcia (Producer), Raising Hope. Beverly Hills, CA: FOX Broadcasting Company. Retrieved from http://www.hulu.com/watch/319434/raising-hope-mrs-smartypants

Baby Boomers and our view of aging

I think Baby Boomers will bring about a more positive view of aging individuals, with greater inclusion of older adults in media, popular culture and commerce. Images of older people will increasingly tend to be people who are active, engaged, healthy and independent.

However, a stereotype is a stereotype. The stereotype Novak terms “the ageless self” (2009, p. 15), though it promotes a more positive image of older adults, still has the power to disenfranchise, silence, and render invisible those who do not fit within its constraints. This depiction of aging does not represent the breadth of the older population, and the pervasion of this image implies that people with the resources to attain the carefree, active, “age-defying” lifestyle are somehow more deserving of attention and respect.

This parallels a pattern seen in treatment of other oppressed groups, where those who “overcome adversity,” usually by attaining achievements and possessing qualities conventionally within the domain of those with privilege, are more accepted and visible. Such individuals are often held up as inspirational examples, representing a message that “if they can do it, anyone can.”

This message’s corollary is generally left unspoken: if you can’t do it, it’s your fault. This message invalidates real barriers – social, physiological, financial, etc. – that prevent many from attaining the ideal, as well as the notion that the ideal may not be the only desirable way to be (Novak, 2009, pp. 15–16).

The prominence and financial power of the Baby Boom generation will improve matters for aging adults, but this will not eliminate age discrimination. The pressure to be "youthful" will not go away as long as prevailing attitudes continue to grant more respect, visibility and acceptance to people who fit into this mold. To truly combat this discrimination, we must examine and disassemble these attitudes.

References

Novak, M. (2009). Issues in aging (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson.

Your excuse is invalid [image]. (n.d.). Facebook. Retrieved from http://www.facebook.com/georgehtakei