Analysis and Report: Digital Transformation of Age UK Services

This report analyzes the digital transformation of Age UK services, focusing on the challenges and opportunities presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. It examines the organizational structure of Age UK, reviews popular digital mediums for older adults (such as YouTube), and identifies barriers to accessing digital services, including skills, access, and motivation. The report discusses the impact of the pandemic on service delivery and highlights the importance of digital solutions for maintaining client wellbeing. Recommendations include employee training, motivational initiatives, and guidance on using digital platforms. The report concludes that digital transformation is essential for organizations like Age UK to effectively deliver services and adapt to changing circumstances. It also emphasizes the importance of overcoming barriers to ensure older adults can access vital support.

Digital transformation
of Age UK services

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Findings/Results..............................................................................................................................3
Organisational structure of Age UK............................................................................................3
Review of most popular digital mediums for older adults..........................................................4
The barriers to access digital services in 3 key areas of skills, access and motivation...............4
Discussion........................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8
Books & Journals:........................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Digital transformation is becomes the necessity of organisation rather than luxurious for
the companies. But there are many barriers which faced by organisation in order to transform
their business practices digitally such as customer has less experience in using digital
technologies. Especially old people has no skill that how to use digital (Age, U.K., 2018). It can
be clearly seen in Age UK which is the charity organisation that runs their business practices in
local areas. Age UK is facing many challenges due to pandemic situation as they cannot get
connected with old people. Age UK is the UK based organisation that provides many services to
the old people that supports health and wellbeing. For that purpose, they are using digital
practices in order to provide services as it pressurized by the conditions of country due to
COVID-19. This report covers findings and discussion of challenges that they faced during
pandemic situations. It also covers the skills which is necessary in order to deliver services by
digitally.
MAIN BODY
TASK
Findings/Results
Organisational structure of Age UK
Age UK is the independent charity that liable for their own expenses as they have to
arrange finance by independently (Age, U.K., 2018). They offer localised services within local

branches. In 2018, Age UK reported that there were ‘3.7 million people over 65 having never
used the internet’. It becomes big challenge for Age UK due to pandemic. They are not
depending on the particular government institutions. They are continuously focusing on creating
age friendly cultures where every person is equally treated and promotes diversify in the
company. The aim of Age UK is to increase quality and range of life enhancing services (Age,
U.K., 2018). They have an objective to give vital support to all people in their later life. The
main competitors of Age UK are Aged, Alzheimer’s society, HSE, etc. They are providing
services such as home help, IT training, exercise classes, foot care, etc. Age UK identified that
increasing in ageing population also increase the number of problems as older people get alone.
Due to this, Age UK designed their strategy which focusing on being there with older people
who need most.
Review of most popular digital mediums for older adults
It becomes very difficult for older people that how they can connect with Age UK as they
are isolated because of COVID-19 virus. At that time, Age UK facing a challenge that how they
can engage with the people who are isolated in order to support health and well being. This was
very critical situation for Age UK that how they can increase interaction and engagement with
people so it will help in reducing their stress (Age, U.K., 2020). Age UK identify that they have
to search most appropriate social media platform in order to interact and engage with people.
There are many social media or digital media platform available in the market that uses by
people such as Twitter, Facebook, email, YouTube, etc. These platforms are easy to access but
one important problem that faced by Age UK was older people cannot understand how to use the
social media platforms. Young adult people who have age between 50 to 75 years has some
knowledge of social media but 75 + age group people cannot understand the use of social media
platform (Fakoya, McCorry and Donnelly, 2020). So Age UK found that YouTube is one of the
best social media platforms in order to interact with most of the people.
The barriers to access digital services in 3 key areas of skills, access and motivation
Age UK is facing barriers in order to get their clients to access digital services as they
have less skills, motivation and access (Freedman and Nicolle, 2020). It is identified by the
company that they are continuously facing a problem or challenge of lack of skills, motivation
and access to the clients in order to interact and engagement with people. Age UK need that they

have to train people that how to use digital services by developing skills, motivation, etc. It is
necessary for company to take a right step in order to overcoming with the barriers.
Discussion
 Age UK provided many types of services to their lines such as Information and advice,
day care, wellbeing services, chums, etc. But due to COVID-19 pandemic, it becomes
very difficult for Age UK that how they can deliver this type of services to the clients.
They have to find the best local services which can be digitally transfer to the client so
that it reduces their isolation and loneliness.
 It is analysed that well being services can be deliver by digitally with the help of limited
home visits using full PPE and telephone wellbeing calls. Age UK can provide
information and advice to their clients with the help of using digital mediums which are
easy to access and give all information. With the help of video calls, this service can be
provided by the company that is easy to access and two ways communication process can
be possible (Tully and et. al., 2019). People can raise questions with the help of using
digital mediums as it provides two way communication platforms.
 Platform searches Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc. are helpful for the clients
of Age UK. With digital transformation, Age UK is also able to give emotional support to
their clients as they already make many videos on YouTube which can easily access by
any person whether they are young and old. It is very necessary for company that they
should provide digital solutions in the age of COVID-19 pandemic situation (Creese and
et. al., 2020). It's just not reduces the stress of older people but also stopping the
propagation of virus. This is very necessary for charity purpose as they are able to
provide or deliver services by digitally. That's why digital transformation is the key of
success and even in difficult situations they are able to help to the older people.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above discussion that digital transformation is become
necessity more than luxury for every organisation. In former time, organisations do not know the
importance of digital because they cannot feel any need of digital business. But after COVID-19

pandemic situation, it gives a drastic change to organisation as it provides a reason to every
organisation that they have to be used digital business for transforming their business practices
by digital transformation. It becomes the necessity of every company as they have to be deliver
products or services by digitally. During the pandemic situation, digital businesses get more
success as compared to other physical stores. But there are many challenges facing by
organisation in order to choose best digital medium for the interaction with their customers. It is
necessary for organisation to identify which digital media platform customers are mostly use.
With the help of identification of which digital platform is mostly used by people organisation
can able to interact with their clients. The other challenge that company face is barriers come in
order to deliver the products by digitally. There are many people who cannot use digital
platforms specially who are old people. So how older people can avail the services of
organisations as they have lack of skills, access and motivation. These problems can be solved
with the help of some important recommendations and suggestions which are mentioned below.
RECOMMENDATIONS
After discussion of barriers of challenges that faced by many organisations in order to
deliver the products or services by digitally some important suggestions or recommendations
which are mentioned below. With the help of suggestions and recommendations organisations
are able to successfully deliver the products and services by digitally.
 Now every organisation know the importance of digital transformation in the present
world as it becomes a necessity for every person as well as organisation. Firstly it is
important for organisation to explain the importance of digital transformation to their
employees. Employees are able to understand the concept which is helpful to identify the
ways that is all the barriers of delivering the products digitally.
 Organisations also give some motivation to the people that why digital transformation is
necessary and how it is helpful for people. If people are able to understand the need of
digital transformation then they are easily ready to accept goods and services with the use
of internet.
 Another challenge that faced by every organisation is lack of skills so they are unable to
access digital media or social media platforms. For that purpose, organisation should

provide guidance that how people can use or access digital media platform of social
media platform with the help of TV ads, online courses, etc. In this time, YouTube play a
very important role in order to explain people that how they can use social media
platform or digital media platform. It is a very effective solution for overcoming the
barriers that faced by company in today's time. It is necessary for every organisation that
they should focus on identification of ways which helps to overcome the barriers.
 If organisation gets success in overcoming with the barriers then they definitely increase
the use of digital technologies. It also gives an impact on sales and revenues of
organisation. Company can easily deliver the products or services with the help of digital
business practices.

REFERENCES
Books & Journals:
Age, U.K., 2018. Creative and cultural activities and well-being in later life. Age UK, London.
Age, U.K., 2018. New analysis shows number of older people with unmet care needs soars to
record high. London: Age UK.
Age, U.K., 2018. Why call it care when nobody cares?. London: Age UK.
Age, U.K., 2020. The impact of COVID-19 to date on older people’s mental and physical
health. Age UK.
Creese, B., and et. al., 2020. Loneliness, physical activity, and mental health during COVID-19:
a longitudinal analysis of depression and anxiety in adults over the age of 50 between
2015 and 2020. International Psychogeriatrics, p.1.
Fakoya, O. A., McCorry, N. K. and Donnelly, M., 2020. Loneliness and social isolation
interventions for older adults: a scoping review of reviews. BMC public health, 20(1),
pp.1-14.
Freedman, A. and Nicolle, J., 2020. Social isolation and loneliness: The new geriatric giants:
Approach for primary care. Canadian Family Physician, 66(3), pp.176-182.
Tully, M. A., and et. al., 2019. Is sedentary behavior or physical activity associated with
loneliness in older adults? Results of the European-wide SITLESS study. Journal of
aging and physical activity, 1(aop), pp.1-7.
Online website:
https://www.ageuk.org.uk/