DO OLDER PEOPLE BENEFIT FROM DIGITAL SERVICES?

Numerous literature sources as well as practice studies evident numerous benefits enabled by information and communication technology (ICT) implementation in society. Namely, information and communication technology has been contributed to broadband access to (i) education, (ii) governance (iii) administration and public institution (iv) health and medical services, (v) touristic activity, etc. The purpose of the paper is to understand how older people have been adapted in the complex process of informatisation. In that context, the benefits of digital society for the older population will be discussed. The potentially related obstacles will be analyzed, too. Our presumption is that informatisation significantly facilitated the integration of services. The related question is: Is the mentioned process followed by inclusion or by marginalisation of older people as users? In the empirical part the comparative analysis between older population in Croatia and Belgium will be provided. In the final part the authors will integrate the theoretical presumptions with data interpretation based on the sample (n=70) collected in both countries. Data interpretation, as well as research implications are enclosed in the conclusion.