Silver Club Szombathely

By project NOTRE

Published on 21 October 2024

Hungary

Nyugat-Dunántúl

Szombathely

About this good practice

Silver Club is owned and operated by Pannon Business Network, whith a commitment to support the elderly in embracing novel technologies. To facilitate this, they created a physical infrastructure - at.home. The space is designed to inform seniors, their relatives, and social care providers about how modern tech solutions can enable seniors to live independently in their homes for as long as possible. The initiative offers attitude-shaping presentations and training sessions focused on demonstrating these technologies, fostering a more inclusive digital environment for seniors. It is also a test environment, where seniors can try out health and home care devices, offering valuable feedback to businesses. This initiative bridges the gap between tech development and needs of elderly users, promoting acceptance and ease of use. It uses a structured approach, combining community engagement with hands-on experiences for seniors.

Test Environment:Safe space for seniors to explore tools like health monitoring, smart home systems and mobility aids
Collaboration:Partnerships with tech providers offer access to the latest innovations and valuable user feedback
Engaging Activities: Activities such as Nordic walking and health seminars foster community and well-being
Feedback Loop: Surveys and discussions ensure seniors' feedback helps refine products
Continuous Improvement: Regularly introducing new products and expanding membership
Free Membership: Ensures accessibility for all seniors

Expert opinion

The Silver Club initiative bridges the digital divide for seniors through the at.home infrastructure, offering a safe space to test modern technologies while fostering physical and digital well-being and providing businesses with valuable feedback to improve senior-friendly innovations. The Silver Club stands out for its co-creative approach, providing a collaborative model that connects tech providers, health professionals and seniors to address challenges like digital exclusion and aging. The initiative not only delivers immediate benefits, such as improving seniors' digital literacy and enhancing independent living but also offers long-term learning opportunities for policymakers and businesses by emphasising co-creation and continuous improvement of technology solutions through meaningful community engagement.

Mart Veliste

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

The Silver Club is supported by multiple stakeholders. The at.home GP is the phisical infrastructure of the Silver Club.
Concrete costs:
Wokrshop organizationon Monthly basis: approx 500 EUR/month
Human resource: 1 prject assistent on 20 hours/week basis: 1000 EUR/month (in Hungary)

Evidence of success

Silver Club engaged seniors, with outputs such as increased participation in technology tests and useful feedback provided to SMEs. The club fostered acceptance of digital tools in the elderly, improving confidence in using technology for independent living. Tech providers used senior feedback to refine their products, leading to more senior-friendly innovations. The initiative’s ongoing growth in membership and collaboration with SMEs shows that it can bridge the digital divide for seniors.

Potential for learning or transfer

The Silver Club presents several aspects that are valuable for other regions. Its focus on engaging seniors in technology testing and health-related activities can be replicated to address the digital divide in elderly populations elsewhere. The model of collaboration between health professionals, businesses, and seniors ensures both practical testing of products and meaningful community engagement. Additionally, the integration of cultural programs and physical activities like Nordic walking offers a holistic approach to senior care, promoting both mental and physical health. These adaptable elements make it an ideal practice for transfer to other regions looking to support aging populations through technology and community activities.