scholarly journals Internet use and cognitive engagement in older adulthood

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted Schwaba ◽  
Wiebke Bleidorn
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Personality Development ◽  
Cognitive Engagement ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Online Media ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Development And Aging

Internet use is increasingly ubiquitous among older adults and may buffer against declines in cognitive engagement. We examined longitudinal associations between three types of internet use (media, social, and instrumental) and two indicators of cognitive engagement (Openness to Experience and Need for Cognition) in a nationally representative sample of Dutch older adults (N=2,922 aged 65+) assessed annually from 2008-2017. Pre-registered analyses indicated that older adults who were more cognitively engaged used the internet more frequently, especially for instrumental purposes like search and email. Those who increased in their use of online media declined less in Need for Cognition than their peers. These associations remained constant over time even as internet use became more common. We benchmarked our findings against null associations between cognitive engagement and TV/radio use and tested associations in younger comparison samples. Findings bolster our understanding of the role that technology use plays in personality development and aging.

scholarly journals OLDER ADULTS’ SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS AND WELL-BEING IN A DIGITAL WORLD

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S14-S14
Author(s):  
Shannon T Mejia ◽  
Sara J Czaja
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Digital World ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

Abstract As adults age into a digitally connected world, communication technologies such as the internet, email, social media, and video chats offer new opportunities to connect with others. The implications of older adults’ use of technology in the context of their social relationships—such as the implications for social integration, the relational circumstances of technology adoption, implications for daily experiences of well-being, and opportunities to form new relationships—are less understood. This symposium brings together diverse and complementary perspectives on the contribution of technology to older adults’ social experiences. We begin with inquiry into implications of internet use for social integration. Hees and colleagues use data from the German Ageing Survey to examine how internet use is associated with change in loneliness over a three-year period in older adults who are either before or after retirement. Our symposium continues with papers on technology use within the context of older adults’ existing close relationships. Chopik examines individual and dyadic predictors of technology adoption. Mejía and colleagues consider the implications for digital social interactions for older adult’s well-being on that day. Our final paper discusses the potential for technology to aid in the development of new relationships. Rogers and colleagues describe findings from their OneClick.chat project, a web-based video chat application that connects older adults based on their shared interests. Our session concludes with a discussion led by Czaja, who will integrate the four papers and discuss the challenges and opportunities of using technology to support older adults’ social relationships and well-being.

scholarly journals THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY: EXAMINING OUTCOMES OF TECHNOLOGY USE AMONG OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S194-S194
Author(s):  
Shelia Cotten ◽  
Shelia R Cotten ◽  
Travis Kadylak
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Ict Use ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract Older adults are increasingly using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to communicate with social ties, gather information to make decisions, and for entertainment purposes. Research is increasingly showing that using ICTs has a range of potential benefits for older adults. However, less research examines the potential negative outcomes of ICT use for older adults. Data from a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States is used to examine positive and negative outcomes of ICT use. Traditional well-being and social connection outcomes are examined as well as new stressors associated with mobile phone use. Our findings suggest that ICT use has varying effects on older adults, depending upon the type, level, and purposes of use. Implications are discussed for entities seeking to encourage ICT use to enhance health and quality of life among older adults.

scholarly journals IDENTIFYING THE TRAJECTORIES OF MULTIMORBIDITY AND THEIR CORRELATES AMONG KOREAN OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S697-S697
Author(s):  
Sun Ah Lee ◽  
Hey Jung Jun ◽  
Susanna Joo ◽  
Hye Won Chai
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Growth Mixture Modeling ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract Multimorbidity, the co-existence of two or more chronic diseases, has become prevalent among the older population. This study focused on identifying different patterns of multimorbidity trajectories across older adulthood and examining their predictors. We used six waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA), a nationally representative longitudinal data collected every two years from 2006 to 2016. The sample was older adults aged 65 years and older in 2006 (N=1,668). Multimorbidity was measured as the self-reported number of medically-diagnosed chronic diseases, and Growth Mixture Modeling was used to examine multimorbidity trajectories. Identified patterns of multimorbidity trajectories were then used as outcome variables in multinomial logistic regression models. Independent variables were socio-demographic, psychological, health-related behavioral and interpersonal factors at baseline. At Wave1, 76% of the sample had no or one chronic disease and 24% had two or more. At Wave6, 49% had none or one and 51% had two or more. Results identified four patterns of multimorbidity trajectory: “maintaining-low” (59.1%; reference), “maintaining-high” (7.3%), “moderately increasing”(26.4%), and “rapidly increasing” (7.2%). In terms of the correlates of these patterns, female older adults and respondents with higher depressive symptoms were more likely to be in the “maintaining-high” group. In addition, respondents who had less frequent meetings with friends, neighbors or relatives were more likely to be in the “rapidly increasing” group. The findings suggest that there are distinct patterns of multimorbidity trajectories across older adulthood, and interventions focusing on depressive symptoms or social engagement may be useful in preventing the increase in multimorbidity.

546 Association of personality traits with napping behaviors in older adults

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A215-A215
Author(s):  
Yuqi Shen ◽  
Darlynn Rojo-Wissar ◽  
Katherine Duggan ◽  
Brant Hasler ◽  
Adam Spira
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Personality Dimensions ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Nighttime Sleep ◽  
Representative Cohort

Abstract Introduction Greater neuroticism and lower conscientiousness are linked to poorer nighttime sleep among older adults, but little is known about the association between personality and daytime sleep. Napping increases in older adulthood, and napping has been linked to health outcomes, including cognitive impairment. Thus, it is important to extend personality and sleep research to investigate napping behavior. We examined the association between personality and napping in a nationally representative cohort of older adults. Methods We studied 742 adults aged ≥65 years from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) who completed the sleep and personality modules in NHATS rounds 3 or 4 (2013–2014). Personality dimensions (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness) were assessed by the Midlife Development Inventory Personality Scales. Participants reported nap frequency over the past month (most days or everyday [nappers-frequent]; some days [nappers-infrequent]; rarely/never [non-nappers]); napping intention (intentional/unintentional); and average nap duration (coded as ≤40 minutes [short]; and >40 minutes [long], consistent with previous studies). Personality dimensions were included together in all models. Model 1 adjusted for age, sex, education, and BMI, and Model 2 further adjusted for anxiety and depression, comorbidities, sleep medications, and nighttime sleep duration. Only nappers were included in models with nap frequency, intention, or duration as outcomes (n=387). Results There were no personality differences between nappers and non-nappers. Among nappers, however, higher neuroticism was associated with lower odds of frequent naps (OR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.55,0.97), and higher agreeableness was associated with greater odds of unintentional napping (OR=1.95, 95% CI:1.12, 3.41) and lower odds of long nap duration (OR=0.54, 95% CI:0.33, 0.90) in Model 1. Associations remained in Model 2. Higher neuroticism was also associated with greater odds of long nap duration in Model 1 (OR=1.40, 95% CI:1.03, 1.91), but not after further adjustment in Model 2. Conclusion This is, to our knowledge, the first study examining the association between personality and daytime napping behaviors among a large sample of older adults, extending the literature on personality and nighttime sleep in this population. Because napping behaviors are associated with health outcomes, personality may be an important factor to consider in interventions addressing napping. Support (if any) NIH grant 5T32MH014592-39

scholarly journals Predictors of Internet Use Among Older Adults With Diabetes in South Korea: Survey Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunhee Park ◽  
Beomsoo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Nationally Representative

BACKGROUND Internet access in Korea has grown dramatically over the past two decades. However, disparities in internet use, referred to as the second level of the digital divide, persist. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine opportunity, motivation, and health variables that indicate internet use among older adults with diabetes. METHODS Data were sourced from a nationally representative sample of people 65 years and older with diabetes (N=1919). Logistic regression was used to explore potential differences in predictor variables between internet users and nonusers. RESULTS Only 306 of the 1919 (15.95%) participants in the sample used the internet. They were more likely to be younger (odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.87-0.92), well-educated (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.16-1.26), and able to afford leisure expenditures (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04). Additionally, they had more information and communications technology (ICT) training experience, were motivated to learn, volunteered, and reported good physical and cognitive function. Participation in ICT education and better health more positively correlated with a higher rate of internet use than did years of education or economic standing in older adults with diabetes. CONCLUSIONS To support older adults with diabetes in the internet age, policies and health care providers should focus on digital competency training as well as physical and cognitive function.

A review of Internet use among older adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (10) ◽  
pp. 3937-3954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Hunsaker ◽  
Eszter Hargittai
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Digital Media ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
World Population ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
The World ◽  
Future Work ◽  
The Relationship

As the world population ages and older adults comprise a growing proportion of current and potential Internet users, understanding the state of Internet use among older adults as well as the ways their use has evolved may clarify how best to support digital media use within this population. This article synthesizes the quantitative literature on Internet use among older adults, including trends in access, skills, and types of use, while exploring social inequalities in relation to each domain. We also review work on the relationship between health and Internet use, particularly relevant for older adults. We close with specific recommendations for future work, including a call for studies better representing the diversity of older adulthood and greater standardization of question design.

Socio-economic status over the lifecourse and internet use in older adulthood

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 1019-1034 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHELLE PANNOR SILVER
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
The United States ◽  
Internet User ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Retirement Study

ABSTRACTThis study explored associations between socio-economic status (SES) at different phases in the lifecourse and regular internet use among older adults. A sample (N = 11,035) from the 2010 wave of the United States Health and Retirement Study was used. Odds ratios were estimated to explore the relationship between regular internet use in older adulthood and measures of SES in childhood and in adulthood, and cumulative SES. Findings provided support for the lifecourse perspective, suggesting that variations observed among older adults are reflective of cumulative experiences. Three main themes emerged: higher SES in childhood increased the odds of being an internet user in older adulthood; SES advantages tended to accumulate, so that having at least one period of high SES in the lifecourse increased the odds of being an internet user in older adulthood; age did not appear to modify the positive relationship between cumulative SES and internet use.

scholarly journals Predictors of Internet Use Among Older Adults With Diabetes in South Korea: Survey Study

10.2196/19061 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. e19061
Author(s):  
Sunhee Park ◽  
Beomsoo Kim
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Training Experience ◽  
Nationally Representative

Background Internet access in Korea has grown dramatically over the past two decades. However, disparities in internet use, referred to as the second level of the digital divide, persist. Objective This study aims to examine opportunity, motivation, and health variables that indicate internet use among older adults with diabetes. Methods Data were sourced from a nationally representative sample of people 65 years and older with diabetes (N=1919). Logistic regression was used to explore potential differences in predictor variables between internet users and nonusers. Results Only 306 of the 1919 (15.95%) participants in the sample used the internet. They were more likely to be younger (odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% CI 0.87-0.92), well-educated (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.16-1.26), and able to afford leisure expenditures (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01-1.04). Additionally, they had more information and communications technology (ICT) training experience, were motivated to learn, volunteered, and reported good physical and cognitive function. Participation in ICT education and better health more positively correlated with a higher rate of internet use than did years of education or economic standing in older adults with diabetes. Conclusions To support older adults with diabetes in the internet age, policies and health care providers should focus on digital competency training as well as physical and cognitive function.

scholarly journals EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ON OLDER ADULTS' WELL-BEING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S193-S194
Author(s):  
Walter R Boot
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Life Transitions ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Recent research had indicated clear links between social isolation and loneliness, and a host of negative consequences, including poor mental and physical health, cognitive decline, and even increased mortality risk. These consequences make clear that social isolation is a significant and urgent public health concern that requires attention and action. Increasingly, researchers have begun to explore the role technology can play in reducing social isolation and increasing social support. This symposium contains five talks that address this question directly, presenting a nuanced picture of the potential effects of technology on well-being among older adults. The first presentation will highlight the potential positive side of internet use on wellbeing using longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study. The next talk explores how the internet can support older adults undergoing significant life transitions. Importantly, the link between internet use and well-being appears to be context-dependent, with internet use being associated with positive or negative effects depending on other contextual factors. This presentation is followed by another, finding that technology use can have varying effects depending on how and what the technology is used for. This is followed by a presentation that directly compares technology-based communication to in-person communication, and the different effects of each on well-being. The session concludes with a presentation on how novel robotic technology might provide emotional and social support. In answer to the question of whether technology can reduce social isolation and loneliness, and improve social support: It’s complicated.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and Psychosocial Changes: Results From the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 566-566
Author(s):  
Laura Samuel ◽  
Anthony Ong
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Sampling Weights ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
The Us ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Improve Health

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic likely altered many aspects of daily life for older adults, including social connectedness, technology use, financial resources and hopefulness. This symposium examines these exposures and changes during the COVID-19 pandemic and tests their associations with health and related factors. Analyses are all conducted among a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged ≥65 years who participated in the NHATS COVID-19 supplement, which was a mail-in survey with participant and proxy respondents conducted between June and October of 2020. Additional NHATS participant data collected between 2011 and 2019 was used to account for individual characteristics before COVID-19, including demographic, socioeconomic and relevant health characteristics. Sampling weights were applied to analyses to account for study design and non-response so that inferences can be drawn to the US population of adults aged ≥65 years. This symposium will present results from five COVID-19 pandemic focused studies that examine the associations between 1) financial changes and health, 2) loneliness and behavioral changes, 3) hopefulness with function, sleep and loneliness, 4) technology use and mental health, and 5) predictors of technology use. These results offer insights into the mechanisms that influence health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results have clinical, policy and public health implications because they can inform the development of interventions, programs and policies with potential to improve health and health care and advance health equity for older adults.

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