OLDER ADULTS’ PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD TECHNOLOGIES TO ADDRESS LONELINESS: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
2024

Older Adults' Views on Technology to Combat Loneliness

Sample size: 13 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Cho Emma, Weiss Charlotte, Demiris George

Primary Institution: University of Pennsylvania

Hypothesis

How do older adults perceive technology interventions that address loneliness and social isolation?

Conclusion

Older adults generally have positive perceptions of technologies designed to reduce loneliness, but also face challenges and barriers in using them.

Supporting Evidence

  • Older adults may positively perceive technologies like video phones and social assistive robots.
  • Negative perceptions include dissatisfaction with digital communication and technical barriers.

Takeaway

This study looked at how older people feel about using technology to make friends and feel less lonely. They like some tech, but sometimes it can be hard to use.

Methodology

An integrative review of peer-reviewed articles on older adults' perceptions of technology addressing loneliness.

Limitations

The review is limited to English language articles and may not represent all perspectives on the topic.

Participant Demographics

Older adults aged 65 years and older from various countries.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1093/geroni/igae098.0286

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