Older Adults on Digital Media in a Networked Society

Abstract

Abstract Conventional wisdom holds that the Internet is a technology for the young. However, as this chapter shows, older adults are increasingly adopting digital media, and it is therefore critical to know more about how networks of digital communication are changing their lives in such respects as their interaction with family and friends. The authors draw upon a study using in-depth interviews of older adult residents in East York, a locality in Toronto, Canada. These interviews illuminate the roles that digital media play in managing and strengthening the personal networks of elders. Their findings challenge stereotypes about older adults and their use of the Internet. The chapter makes an evidence-based case that the Internet and related digital media help older adults develop a sense of connectedness versus isolation.

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