Browsing by Author "Loos, Eugène"

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Asking ChatGPT How to Fight Visual Ageism on Websites: Pitfall or Opportunity?
(Springer, 2024) Loos, Eugène; Ivan, Loredana; Sourbati, Maria
This paper explores the extent to which ChatGPT can be used to combat visual ageism, i.e., “the social practice of visually underrepresenting older people or misrepresenting them in a prejudiced way” [1, p.164] on websites. First, insights from earlier empirical studies on visual ageism are presented to illustrate how ageist pictures can be injurious to older people and howto combat this. Then, a chat session with ChatGPT will be used to discover whether the tool can generate reliable advice on how to counter visual ageism on websites. Finally, ChatGPT’s advice will be evaluated from a scientific point of view.
Not only people are getting old, the new media are too: Technology generations and the changes in new media use
(SAGE Publications, 2022) Loos, Eugène; Ivan, Loredana
This article investigates the changes in the use of traditional and new media by different technology generations. Focusing on the changes in the use of Email, Chat and Social Network Sites by older people, it explores the process by which new media become ‘old’ and reach a saturation point. Collected survey data suggest differences in media use between the three technology generations distinguished in this study: the ‘mechanical’ generation (born in 1938 or before), the ‘household revolution’ generation (born between 1939 and 1948), and the ‘technology spread’ generation (born between 1949 and 1963). This longitudinal and transnational study provides evidence of media saturation, showing that an increase in both the availability of and access to media does not lead to an increase in use, even in older adults who are behind in the adoption of the new media. Finally, the article discusses the findings, arguing for an interplay between individual and structural lag in later life.
Romanian Older Adults’ Views of the Age-Friendliness of their City: The Importance of Digital Technologies
(Springer Nature, 2025) Rădulescu, Cristina; Ivan, Loredana; Loos, Eugène
Regions around the world have undergone different patterns of urbanization, with North America and Europe currently being the most urbanized areas: over 75% of the people live in urban communities [1, 2]. Eventually, people will grow old in cities and experience all aspects of the urban environment later in life. The World Health Organization [3] launched the age-friendly city and communities’ movement that proposes solutions for older people to age actively by improving their welfare and social participation. In Europe, numerous urban communities are following the age-friendly city agenda and have become members of the Global Age-Friendly Cities Network. The concept of an age-friendly city comprised eight dimensions: (1) outdoor spaces and buildings; (2) transportation; (3) housing; (4) social participation; (5) respect and social inclusion; (6) civic participation and employment; (7) communication and information; and (8) community support and health services. Using a qualitative explorative approach, we conducted a series of interviews with older adults (60 years and more) in Bucharest (N = 20) from December 2023 to June 2024 to understand their meaning of an “age-friendly” community and the perceived role of digital technology in the process of making urban communities more livable. The results are analyzed by contrasting the views of more vulnerable older adults (over 76 years) with poor health conditions with the younger and more active respondents (aged 60 to 65 with a good health situation). People over 76 with poor health conditions are not able to enjoy the quality of life in the city, compared to the more active seniors, usually below 65 years, who are looking for cultural and social opportunities to live in the urban community. The results reveal the role of digital familiarity in enjoying city opportunities and the importance of communication and information in the way older adults envisage the “age-friendliness” of their community.