Art, Technology and Participation in Later Life

Author Information

Bedirhan Tuna, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany
Anja Mohr, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Germany

Abstract

Digitalisation is reshaping social participation across all areas of life. Yet older adults, particularly those with cognitive impairments, are frequently excluded from these processes due to structural barriers, inaccessible interfaces, and a lack of inclusive co-creation opportunities. This qualitative study, grounded in design-based research, investigates how the low threshold, web-based drawing tool ArtEater can foster digital and creative competencies among older adults. Developed at a German research university receiving national research funding, it was iteratively refined through direct collaboration with participants and tested across three heterogeneous groups of older adults, including individuals living with dementia, leading to new functions, tutorials and the development of creative and digital interests. Emerging findings indicate that low-threshold creative tools can facilitate meaningful digital engagement, even for participants with no prior experience. Some participants began projecting their creative work onto broader social imaginaries, envisioning connections between their drawings and assistive technologies. This points to an underestimated capacity for intergenerational thinking and future orientation among older adults. These results suggest that ageing should not only be framed through vulnerability, but also through agency, imagination, and creative practice. The tool demonstrates that purpose-built inclusive tools can create participatory learning spaces that make digital engagement accessible and meaningful for a diverse older population, contributing to efforts to counteract the digital divide.

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• Category: Resilience

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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