As social isolation measures have been implemented in response to COVID-19, technology has been touted as a way of keeping older adults connected. But new research has found that older adults who go online every day are more likely to feel socially isolated than their counterparts who use the internet less often.
Research out of Anglia Ruskin University published in the journal Ageing and Society looked at data from 4,492 adults in England who had an average age of 64. The study found that older adults who went online occasionally were less likely to feel socially isolated than were daily internet users, whose reported levels of social isolation were similar to those who never went online.
Social isolation objectively measures a person’s social relationships, including the size and diversity of their social network, and contact frequency. The study took place before COVID-19 social distancing measures, but findings could be helpful during the pandemic, according to the researchers.
Although older adults are more likely to use the internet during COVID-19 social distancing restrictions, researchers report that the findings indicate it is unlikely to improve levels of social isolation.
Senior author Lee Smith, Ph.D., reader in physical activity and public health at ARU, said targeted advertising could be used during social isolation to target older adults to encourage healthy choices.
“One of the positive findings from our study is the suggestion that internet advertising and targeted emails could be used as an effective, low-cost way of delivering behavior change interventions, such as physical activity or dietary advice, to otherwise socially isolated individuals,” Smith said.
The study found no link between internet use and loneliness. Overall, 19% of study participants reported high levels of loneliness, with 33% classified as socially isolated, according to the study.
Lead author Stephanie Stockwell, a Ph.D. student at the Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences at ARU, said the findings suggest that older adults who report weekly or monthly internet use “may have a better balance between their real world and online contacts.”
“We were surprised that daily internet users recorded similar levels of social isolation as those who never use the internet. It might be that many of these people go online to combat their social isolation,” Stockwell said. “Alternatively, going online more frequently might actually cause greater social isolation among some older adults as they reduce their physical contacts.”
Older adults going online everyday were more likely to use a smartphone, whereas laptops were preferred by less frequent users. Information searches, email and shopping were the three most common online activities reported, and over two-third of respondents (69%) reported using the internet every day.
