The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked the world. The world is going through turbulent times, and the situation is unprecedented. For the past few months, we have been witnessing the mayhem, as the deadly virus has claimed millions of lives, and still counting. It has changed the way we think, live, and work. Countries have been forced into lockdown and most of the world’s population has been under home detention. Although the Coronavirus has struck people of every age and gender, it is the senior citizens who are more likely to develop complications from COVID-19. Isolating ourselves in a bid to stop the spread of disease is incredibly important as we aim to protect seniors, in particular.

As more of us stay quarantined at home, it’s only natural that we will become even more reliant on our connection to the digital world, the internet especially. Daily tasks like paying bills, ordering food, buying groceries, fixing a doctor’s appointment, etc. And, there is the consumption of news then. So, in a nutshell, the interaction of users with the internet and various websites has increased many times, which is likely to continue as a trend. Therefore, website accessibility becomes crucial. More and more people are engaging with your websites, and you need to ensure they don’t face any difficulties while accessing your site.

The prevalence of disabilities and impairments impacting one’s use of a computer or mobile device increases with age, so our seniors are more likely to face obstacles when websites are not coded with website accessibility in mind. The needs of our aging population overlap, in many ways, with the needs of our population with disabilities. Seniors often have impairments that make using online and web-based technology difficult. 

Digital Access Barriers

Vision

Reduced contrast sensitivity and tough color perception can make web pages particularly challenging to read when text is not crisp, clear, and significant. Someone with cataracts, macular degeneration, or any other impairment causing low vision may not be able to engage and interact with a website entirely if it isn’t created to support zooming or provide options to enlarge text.

Cognitive Function

The modern web is dynamic, interactive, and ever-changing. For example, rapid, fast-moving transitions from one block of information to the next can be too overwhelming for those requiring more time to read and process information. Controls are needed to pause highly interactive features and functions.

Hearing 

As we get older, our hearing gets weaker. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that for seniors, multimedia content such as videos, podcasts, and other formats can present barriers if captioning and transcripts aren’t provided.

Motor Control and Dexterity

Using a mouse can be difficult, painful, or even impossible for some users. Clicking that mouse or pressing that button, especially on small call-to-action buttons, can be equally challenging. Someone with severe tremors while using the mouse will only be able to access your website if measures have been taken to support visual focus and keyboard navigation.

If you’re ready to design your website with the accessibility of an aging population in mind, you’re not on your own. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) take into account this wide overlap between users with disabilities and older adults.

As we look to accommodate senior citizens and also build a web that is equipped for our future selves, here are some key steps you can take to ensure optimal and accessible user experience for all your users.

Read more about how to achieve smooth UX here

Readability

Make sure you use legible fonts with relative font-sizes and ensure text containers are resized. If at all you get confused in deciding which font to use, go ahead with sans serif fonts such as Arial, Open Sans, Helvetica, or similar. Consider color blindness and consistently use a high level of contrast between text foreground colors and background color. Ensure a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 and make sure the links are clearly marked. Using color alone is insufficient, whereas underlining helps in identify links. Lastly, avoid overuse of symbols, acronyms, and iconography. Replace it with text instead.

Functionality

It is essential to create enough space between clickable elements such as buttons and links to improve functionality. You must test your site as a keyboard user and ensure focusable elements receive focus. An option to skip navigation links enables greater keyboard navigation efficiency. Make sure that the link or button purpose is properly conveyed. Users shouldn’t have to guess where they will be taken next. Provide controls to pause auto-rotating carousels or animated content. Users may need more time to read, understand, and interact. Make sure forms are properly labeled and avoid using placeholder text that disappears on focus.

Organization

Make sure navigation is consistent, easy to follow, and predictable across the site. Spend an adequate amount of time to integrate breadcrumbs, so users can better track their location within the context of your navigation hierarchy. Avoid distracting content, excessive amounts of information and use plain-spoken language.

Multimedia

Older viewers may experience a decline in both auditory and visual perception. Be sure to make your videos accessible with captions and provide transcripts for audio-only content. 

It is important to recognize these challenges and work on them. Smooth, uninterrupted access to your website is critical and enhances the user experience. Our senior citizens and millions of individuals with disabilities deserve equal access online during these challenging times.

Get in touch with our team today for an awesome accessible website.