Make your web site accessible for elderly
Outpatient surgery providers are increasingly using web pages as a means to educate patients; however, how should you design and organize your web page so that it is accessible and easily navigated by older patients? Consider these suggestions from Kay Ball, RN, MSA, CNOR, FAAN, perioperative consultant and educator for K&D Medical in Lewis Center, OH:
• Make the text easy to read.
Your web site should comply with the Dottie Older Adult-Friendly Web Design Guidelines. [Those guidelines are available.] For example, the text size should be at least 12 point. The typeface should not be condensed. Boldface type may help the elderly to read the text easier, as does double-spacing of the text, Ball says.
All capital letters used only for headings makes the text easier to follow, she says. Left-justified text is more appealing to the older adult, Ball says. Contrast between the page color and the print color allows for easier reading, she says.
• Organize the text in a simple format.
Present information about surgical procedures, the surgeons, and facilities in a manner that is sensitive to older adults who may process information more slowly than younger ones, Ball says.
Text should be simple, with short sentences. A glossary of technical terms is helpful, particularly if the more technical words have a hyperlink to the definition. Another option is to have the word hyperlinked to another web site for more information.
The sections that divide each web page should be short and organized into consistent and logical formats. For example, the hip replacement and knee replacement information should consistently discuss why joint replacement is performed; what a healthy joint vs. a problem joint is; a description of the prosthesis; how to make appointments; and expectations before surgery, on the day of surgery, and during rehabilitation.
Having audio or video capabilities can enhance a web site and help the patient fully understand the text message, Ball says.
• Make the site easy to navigate.
Navigation features are extremely important for a web site often used by the older adult, Ball says.
For example, provide a single mouse click to access information, she says. Also, offer consistency in the text format, Ball says. Have each page labeled with the same headings and footers. Clicking on an option within the header or footer can help the user move around the web site quickly while homogeny is maintained. Ball suggests that the footer information be available as a second line within the heading so that information won't be missed.
Use the navigation word "top" used within the text to easily move the user back to the beginning of the page. No pull-down menus are ideal because older adults often find them difficult to navigate, Ball says.
• Include site maps, contacts, and a search mechanism.
Site maps are helpful to outline how the web site is organized. Relevant links to other sites on the Internet make a web site more valuable and dependable. If you offer technical information, any further information and reference materials would be extremely valuable, Ball says. This increases the reliability of the web site because other explanations are offered, she adds.
Provide contact information for each web site section so that the reader can talk to a person or e-mail a contact for more information.
A search mechanism for the Internet, using key words or menu choices, makes a web site more user-friendly and functional, Ball says. If you provide information in portable document format (PDF), a link to download free Adobe software allows easy access (www.adobe.com), she says.
Outpatient surgery providers are increasingly using web pages as a means to educate patients; however, how should you design and organize your web page so that it is accessible and easily navigated by older patients? Consider these suggestions from Kay Ball, RN, MSA, CNOR, FAAN, perioperative consultant and educator for K&D Medical in Lewis Center, OH:You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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