scholarly journals Effect of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on Technology Use: In-Person versus Video-Chat Communication

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 930-931
Author(s):  
Sarah Hubner ◽  
Alex Swanson ◽  
Akankshya Chataut ◽  
Stephen Kotopka ◽  
Natalie Manley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Sampling Bias ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Video Chat

Abstract COVID-19 risk-reduction efforts have protected high-risk individuals (including older adults) but have significantly altered life; persons now face reduced socialization. Advancing technologies (e.g., video-chat) may be useful in alleviating consequences of risk-reduction efforts, including loneliness, by improving access to alternative connection/communication across the lifespan. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between technology use and individuals as this may contribute to well-being among older adults during COVID-19 and future isolating events. Participants (N=652) aged 19+ completed a questionnaire via Amazon Mechanical Turk; demographic, socialization, and technology-use data were collected. Respondents (MAge=45.15±15.81) were generally male (50.1%) and white (77.3%). In-person communication and video-chat were analyzed descriptively and with binary regressions. Results of a Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks Test indicated that video-chat (mean rank=228.45) was reported at higher frequency of use versus in-person conversations (mean-rank=202.48), Z=-4.8,p<.001). Additionally, being female positively predicted use of video chat (B=0.42,p<.05) while increasing age negatively predicted use (B=-0.01,p<.05). Regression results suggest that populations reporting higher video-chat communication (e.g., females, younger adults) may be motivated by maintaining social connectedness despite distancing and/or are committed to healthy behaviors, increasing aversion to in-person experiences. In contrast, it may be that persons reporting low video-chat use (e.g., males, older adults) may be less interested in distanced communication or may have lower technology comfort/access. Notably, sampling bias may influence results as data was collected online; future investigation is warranted. Ultimately, understanding interest in and barriers to using technology is vital to developing systems/services which support connection/communication when in-person contact is limited.

Connecting Older Adults and Their Families through Social Technology

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Mueller ◽  
H Foran
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Technology ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Background Older adults often face problems with social isolation, which is a risk factor for poorer mental and physical health. New forms of social technologies (e.g., WhatsApp) provide opportunities to facilitate social connectedness with family members. Understanding older adults’ behaviors and perceptions related to digital communication tools can inform the development of interventions to increase the adoption of these tools for social communication. This study aims to evaluate attitudes and barriers to as well as facilitators of social technology reported by grandparents and grandchildren. The secondary aim is to examine the associations between social technology use and health and well-being outcomes and to identify what factors mediate the use of social technology. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 144 grandchildren (Mage=26.53, SD = 9.17; 81.9% female) were recruited through student mailing lists. Grandparents were invited either through their grandchild or by the research team and recruitment is expected to be completed by September 2019. Three main groups of variables were examined: health and well-being outcomes, social support related outcomes and social technology related outcomes. Results & Conclusions Grandchildren reported very positive attitudes toward social technology as expected. Greater social technology use was associated with better psychological (r =.26, p =.002) and subjective well-being (rs =.20, p =.023), higher psychosocial flourishing (r =.41, p <.001), social support (rs =.22, p =.009) and social connectedness (r =.39, p <.001). Social technology use was not correlated with health, the grandparent-grandchild relationship, loneliness and depression at the bivariate level. Barriers to social technology are security concerns, threat to privacy and constant availability. Facilitators include increased contact, dealing with geographic boundaries and information seeking. Results from grandparents will also be presented. Key messages Social technology has potential to enhance older adults’ lives by facilitating better family relationships, building social support, reducing loneliness and through this improve health and well-being. More research is needed in this area to understand benefits or potential harms and dynamics between younger family members and older adults in use of social technology.

scholarly journals Digitalization and the Social Lives of Older Adults: Protocol for a Microlongitudinal Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birthe Macdonald ◽  
Gizem Hülür
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Daily Lives

BACKGROUND Digital technologies are increasingly pervading our daily lives. Although older adults started using digital technologies later than other age groups, they are increasingly adopting these technologies, especially with the goal of communicating with others. However, less is known about how online social activities are embedded in older adults’ daily lives, how they complement other (offline) social activities, and how they contribute to social connectedness and well-being. OBJECTIVE Data generated by this project will allow us to understand how older adults use digital communication in their daily lives to communicate with others, how this relates to well-being and social connectedness, and how communication using digital technologies differs from other types of communication depending on situational and individual characteristics. METHODS Microlongitudinal data were collected from 120 older adults from German-speaking regions of Switzerland to examine these questions. Data collection took place from April 2019 to October 2019. Data collection took place over different time scales, including event-based (reporting all social interactions for 21 days), daily (well-being, loneliness, and technology use every evening for 21 days), hourly (cortisol assessments 6 times per day for 3 days), and baseline (relevant interindividual characteristics, including sociodemographics, health, technology use, personality, and cognitive performance) assessments. RESULTS Data collection for this study was completed in November 2019. Participants reported an average of 96.35 interactions across the 21 days. Among the total 11,453 interactions, 5494 (47.97%) were face-to-face, and around 16% each were interactions by phone (1858, 16.16%), email (1858, 16.22%), and text message (1853, 16.18%). Otherwise, 246 (2.15%) of the interactions took place on social media, 96 (0.84)% were letters, and 54 (0.47%) of the interactions took place on videochat. CONCLUSIONS Participants used a variety of modalities in their daily communication, including digital means such as text messages, email, and video calls. Further analysis will provide more detail as to the role that communication via digital media plays in older adults’ daily lives. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR1-10.2196/20306

scholarly journals Older Adult Technology Use During a Global Pandemic: A Study of Mental Health, Social Supports, and Resiliency

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 219-220
Author(s):  
Geunhye Park ◽  
Erin Robinson ◽  
Gashaye M Tefera
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Video Interface ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Older adults have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led many to isolate during this time. Technology enables people to remain connected, however little is known about how older adults have used technology and the impact it has had on their mental health and connectedness. This study was to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced older adult mental health and social connectedness, with a particular emphasis on how technology has played a role. One-on-one interviews (N=29) were conducted with adults aged 65+ (Mean age=71.5; 86% female) via phone/Zoom. Participants were asked open-ended questions about the impact social distancing has had on their quality of life, health, and social connectedness as well as their technology use to remain connected. Findings highlight the mental health stressors experienced by older adults during the pandemic, as well as much resiliency and innovation. In speaking of the isolation and its effect on her mental health, one participant said, “I thought fighting cancer was bad, but this is worse.” Nearly all of the participants had used technology in some form to remain connected to others, which the most common being a smart phone to call, text, and video-interface. One participant commented, “You can’t beat an iPhone. How in the world could we ever live without an iPhone?” Many participants had learned a new technology during the pandemic, such as Zoom. Our findings raise the possibility that technology may be a good strategy for enhancing well-being of aging population amid the pandemic.

scholarly journals Digitalization and the Social Lives of Older Adults: Protocol for a Microlongitudinal Study

10.2196/20306 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e20306
Author(s):  
Birthe Macdonald ◽  
Gizem Hülür
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
Daily Lives

Background Digital technologies are increasingly pervading our daily lives. Although older adults started using digital technologies later than other age groups, they are increasingly adopting these technologies, especially with the goal of communicating with others. However, less is known about how online social activities are embedded in older adults’ daily lives, how they complement other (offline) social activities, and how they contribute to social connectedness and well-being. Objective Data generated by this project will allow us to understand how older adults use digital communication in their daily lives to communicate with others, how this relates to well-being and social connectedness, and how communication using digital technologies differs from other types of communication depending on situational and individual characteristics. Methods Microlongitudinal data were collected from 120 older adults from German-speaking regions of Switzerland to examine these questions. Data collection took place from April 2019 to October 2019. Data collection took place over different time scales, including event-based (reporting all social interactions for 21 days), daily (well-being, loneliness, and technology use every evening for 21 days), hourly (cortisol assessments 6 times per day for 3 days), and baseline (relevant interindividual characteristics, including sociodemographics, health, technology use, personality, and cognitive performance) assessments. Results Data collection for this study was completed in November 2019. Participants reported an average of 96.35 interactions across the 21 days. Among the total 11,453 interactions, 5494 (47.97%) were face-to-face, and around 16% each were interactions by phone (1858, 16.16%), email (1858, 16.22%), and text message (1853, 16.18%). Otherwise, 246 (2.15%) of the interactions took place on social media, 96 (0.84)% were letters, and 54 (0.47%) of the interactions took place on videochat. Conclusions Participants used a variety of modalities in their daily communication, including digital means such as text messages, email, and video calls. Further analysis will provide more detail as to the role that communication via digital media plays in older adults’ daily lives. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/20306

scholarly journals Older Adults and Technology Use: A Systematic Literature Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 823-823
Author(s):  
Hyung Wook Choi ◽  
Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili ◽  
Mat Kelly ◽  
Alexander Poole ◽  
Erjia Yan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sample Population ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Smart Technologies ◽  
Age Range

Abstract Researchers are increasingly interested in leveraging technology to support the physical and mental well-being of older adults. We systematically reviewed previous scholars’ criteria for sampling older adult populations, focusing on age cohorts (namely adults over 65) and their use of internet and smart technologies. We iteratively developed keyword combinations that represent older adults and technology from the retrieved literature. Between 2011 and 2020, 70 systematic reviews were identified, 26 of which met our inclusion criteria for full review. Most important, not one of the 26 papers used a sample population classification more fine-grained than “65 and older.” A knowledge gap thus exists; researchers lack a nuanced understanding of differences within this extraordinarily broad age-range. Demographics that we propose to analyze empirically include not only finer measures of age (e.g., 65-70 or 71-75, as opposed to “65 and older”), but also those age groups’ attitudes toward and capacity for technology use.

scholarly journals Emotional and Situational Acceptance Across the Lifespan: A Novel Scale

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 456-457
Author(s):  
Hannah Wolfe ◽  
Derek Isaacowitz
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Amazon Mechanical Turk ◽  
Good Reliability ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Emotional Acceptance ◽  
General Acceptance ◽  
Mindfulness Skills ◽  
Acceptance Scale ◽  
Regulation Strategies

Abstract Self-reported emotional well-being tends to increase with age (Charles & Carstensen, 2007), but evidence for age differences in emotion regulation strategies is mixed (Livingstone & Isaacowitz, 2019), and the strategy of acceptance, in particular, is relatively understudied. Acceptance involves the deliberate decision to not alter a situation or one’s emotional response to it, and older adults report greater use of general acceptance (Shallcross, Ford, Floerke, & Mauss, 2013). Yet, no current scale distinguishes between situational and emotional acceptance; general acceptance is typically measured using a subscale of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS; Baer, Smith, & Allen, 2004), which assesses judgments of emotions and thoughts. Therefore, a 6-item measure of situational acceptance was developed and administered to 24 younger adults (age 18-25) and 30 older adults (age 55+) on Amazon Mechanical Turk, along with the KIMS accepting subscale and Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS; Brown & Ryan, 2003). The situational acceptance scale achieved good reliability (α=.721) and significantly correlated with the MAAS (r= .301, p=.027) and KIMS (r= .466, p<.001). Older adults tended to rate themselves as significantly higher on situational acceptance (M=29.83, SD=5.17) than younger adults (M=25.13, SD=5.72; t=-3.171, p=.003), and this pattern held for the MAAS and KIMS. These results confirm prior work suggesting older adults engage in acceptance more often than younger adults and expand this finding to situational, not just emotional, acceptance. Furthermore, skills related to mindfulness and acceptance appear to greatly overlap and may increase over the lifespan.

scholarly journals Older Adults’ Adaptations to the Call for Social Distancing and Use of Technology: Insights From Socioemotional Selectivity Theory and Lived Experiences

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482199686
Author(s):  
Shoshana H. Bardach ◽  
Elizabeth K. Rhodus ◽  
Kelly Parsons ◽  
Allison K. Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Technology Training ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Socioemotional Selectivity Theory ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Socioemotional Selectivity ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Comparison Approach

Social distancing guidelines during COVID can be isolating, especially for older adults, with potential for poor health outcomes. Technology offers opportunities for remote connection, yet, older adults’ use of and perspectives on technology during this time remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into older adults’ technology use and preferences to inform the development of a technology training intervention to support older adult well-being. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 older adults. Interviews were analyzed using an iterative, constant comparison approach. Findings were consistent with Socioemotional Selectivity Theory; respondents were primarily interested in technology to support emotionally meaningful goals. Participants indicated limited interest in technology training, referencing diminished future time perspectives to explain disinterest. Findings suggest that efforts to encourage older adults’ expanded technology adoption should highlight how use supports emotionally meaningful goals and provide low-effort, timely training, tied to specific and clear applications.

scholarly journals Effects of Participation in Social Activities on Cognitive Function Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 2315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jongnam Hwang ◽  
Sangmin Park ◽  
Sujin Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Gender Groups

Cognitive function is a critical health issue in later life, the decline of which disrupts well-being and daily life function. Cognitive decline in older ages can also be understood in the context of the social environment such as social connectedness and engagement in personal life. This study aimed to examine: (1) whether participation in social activities contributes to preventing cognitive decline, and (2) what type of social activities are beneficial to maintaining cognitive function. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLOSA) 2006–2014, a longitudinal survey of the household-dwelling population aged 45 and older in Korea were used. The results revealed that Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores decreased with increasing age, at a rate of approximately 0.18 units across all age-gender groups, and the decrease was steeper for adults aged 65 and over. Participation in social gatherings was likely to delay the decline in cognitive function after the age of 65. In a gender-stratified model, social activity may not have an impact on the decline of cognitive function for men, whereas participation in social gatherings was negatively related to the decline of MMSE scores in women. This study suggests the need for a gender-stratified policy for preventing the decline of cognitive function while promoting engagement in social activities in Korean older adults.

Older Adults and Their Internet Behaviors

2012 ◽  
pp. 608-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Mazur ◽  
Margaret L. Signorella ◽  
Michelle Hough
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Attitudinal Barriers ◽  
Cognitive Limitations ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Use Of The Internet

Early research on older adult computer users focused on the possibility for technology to increase social interaction and alleviate loneliness. Subsequent research has been equivocal on the possible benefits of the Internet for well-being. Nonetheless, in spite of an initial “gray gap,” older adults are increasingly joining younger cohorts in using the Internet. Barriers to older adults’ use of the Internet remain, such as physical and cognitive limitations. Attitudinal barriers may exist, but it is unclear whether these result from lack of experience or differences in income or health status. Business researchers have found that older persons differ from other age groups in their Internet engagement patterns, including online buying. Future research directions include whether computers can improve cognitive functioning and quality of life, how to increase engagement levels, and if there will always be a lag in technology use among older adults.

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