National Academies Press: OpenBook

Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop (2020)

Chapter: 4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson

« Previous: 3 Mobile and Sensor Technology as a Tool for Health Measurement, Management, and Research with Aging Populations - Elizabeth Murnane and Tanzeem Choudhury
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

4

Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults

Karen L. Fingerman,1,2Kira S. Birditt,3Debra J. Umberson4

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

Frequent social connectivity with a variety of social partners is associated with better psychological well-being and physical health, as well as increased longevity (Umberson and Montez, 2010). We can think of social connectivity along a spectrum from fully socially engaged to socially isolated. Empirical evidence suggests a dose–response association between degree of social connection and positive health outcomes (Tanskanen and Anttila, 2016); that is, the more social connection, the greater the impact on health and well-being.

Globally, there is increasing concern about trends in social connectivity, loneliness, and social isolation (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2017; Klinenberg, 2016). Indeed, Great Britain established a national commission on loneliness to address this concern (Klinenberg, 2016). Prevalence of social isolation in the US is difficult to estimate, but demographic trends portend

___________________

1 Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin.

2 Racial Disparities in Health: The Roles of Stress, Social Relations and the Cardiovascular System, R01 (AG054371), National Institute on Aging, Kira Birditt PI National Institute on Aging (NIA), Social Networks and Well-being in Late Life: A Study of Daily Mechanisms (R01AG046460; Karen L. Fingerman, Principal investigator P2CHD042849 awarded to the Population Research Center (PRC) at The University of Texas at Austin by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

3 Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan.

4 Department of Sociology and Population Research Center, The University of Texas at Austin.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

increasing social disconnectedness in the future due to rising rates of childlessness, increasing numbers of never married and previously married individuals, smaller households, and falling community involvement in formal groups (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2017). Given population aging, lack of social connectivity is likely to become an increasing population concern.

Social networks tend to diminish in size as people age—in part, due to retirement and deaths of friends and family, as well as increased physical frailty and reduced mobility (Klinenberg, 2016). The Pew Research Center (2009) reports that social networks have declined by about a third in size over the past few decades. Moreover, among older people in the United States, men may be more at risk of social isolation than women (Klinenberg, 2016), and Black Americans may be more at risk than their non-Black counterparts (Umberson et al., 2017).

A number of public health and research initiatives address the issue of social dis/connection in older populations. This chapter addresses how different technologies may promote social connection and decrease social isolation in late life. We consider two related issues. First, we marshal available evidence to consider whether and how technologies can be used to promote social connection and well-being in older populations. Second, we consider how mobile technologies can be used to study social connectivity and health linkages in older adults. Social connections are fundamental to overall health and well-being throughout life, and mobile technologies may provide critical tools for generating and supporting those connections for older populations.

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN LATE LIFE

The term “information and communication technologies” (ICTs) has been used to encompass the broad range of these technologies, which include smartphones, specialized apps, web-based sites with information about health and other topics, social media, videoconferences, voice activated virtual assistants, and a variety of other applications (see Table 4-1 for a full listing; Mitzner et al., 2019). Recent national surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center reported that nearly three quarters of adults over aged 65 used the internet (73%; Anderson et al., 2019), and the majority of adults over age 65 have cell phones (91%).

Older adults lag behind younger age groups in use of many technologies. For example, most young adults use smartphones (90%) and social media (86%). Yet only 40 percent of older adults use smartphones, with use declining with age (e.g., 59% of 65 to 69-year-olds compared to 17% of adults over age 80), and only a third of older adults use social media (34%; Anderson and Perrin, 2017; Anderson et al., 2019). Further, Cotten

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

TABLE 4-1 Types of ICTs and Definitions

Table

Among adults over the age of 65 who use ICTs, facilitation of social connection and communication with friends and family are among the most prevalent reasons (Cotten et al., 2012; Sims et al., 2017). Several types of ICTs may be especially useful in fostering social connection, but older adults may use these technologies selectively. For example, older adults may be more comfortable placing calls on mobile phones, due to familiarity with phones in general. They may be less likely to use smartphones that allow texting or apps such as YouTube and Twitter where individuals share information.

Research also suggests that older adults are willing to embrace voice-activated intelligent assistants (e.g., Alexa; Google assistant; Siri), but it is not clear that these assistants improve feelings of social connection (Koon et al., 2019). One small study involved semi-structured interviews with 12 older adults to evaluate their experience with Amazon Echo. Older adults were positive overall about the voice-activated assistant for music, weather, and information but reported frustrations with social aspects, such as the device’s inability to understand their accent or giving the response “I don’t know what you mean.” Even adults who mastered tasks that facilitated communication with friends or family questioned whether it was more useful than the phone (Koons et al., 2019). Thus, the devices may assist with practical tasks, but it is not clear whether these technologies assist in social connection or that they can substitute for human interactions in some situations.

Facilitating Factors and Barriers to Use of ICTs for Social Connection

Many older adults use technologies for social communication, but a large proportion do not (Anderson and Perin, 2017; Anderson et al., 2019; Hargattai, 2018). These disparities reflect access to resources. Nearly all young adults of all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to an array of technologies and regularly use ICTs to connect with other people, but for older adults, a lack of economic, educational, and social resources may place constraints on access to, and effective use of technologies for social connection.

Demographic factors associated with technology use in old age include advantaged statuses, such as younger age, higher education and income, better health, being non-Hispanic White and speaking English (Berkowsky, Sharit, and Czaja, 2018), and residing in more urban areas, as opposed to rural areas (Findlay and Nies, 2017). For example, a study of 1,700 older adults in the Chicago area revealed that income determined ownership

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

(2017) points out that Pew Research Center data likely overestimate technology use in old age due to exclusion of older adults who are unlikely to use technologies (e.g., those in skilled nursing care or suffering dementias) and who are unable to respond to smartphone or web-based surveys.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

and use of a wide array of ICTs (e.g., smartphone, e-reader, tablet; Ihm and Hsieh, 2016). Similarly, a convenience sample of 350 older adults in rural Idaho (where ICT use is low), revealed that older adults who use social networking sites have socioeconomic advantages that contribute to internet use (Findlay and Nies, 2017).

Data regarding factors that determine ICT use in later life are available from two large national longitudinal studies of older populations. The National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) started in 2011 and involved nearly 6,500 adults aged 65 and older representative of the US older population. Participants answered questions about information and communication technology, including having a cell phone or a computer and whether the individual has texted, emailed, used the internet, and gone online for health information, shopping, etc. in the prior month (Elliot et al., 2013). The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is a large longitudinal national survey of approximately 20,000 adults over the age of 50 with follow-ups every two years starting in 1992. The HRS survey included a single item about use of the internet (presumably via a computer) starting in 2002. In 2012, the HRS administered a module asking about use of ten types of ICTs, such as video chatting, social networks, devices to monitor health, and e-readers or tablets to a subset of approximately 1,800 participants (Chopik et al., 2017).

These studies documented cross-sectional associations between cognitive functioning and use of ICTs in late life. Not surprisingly, better cognitive functioning is linked to adoption of a great number of ICTs (in the HRS; Chopik et al., 2017) and to use of ICTs for texting or email (in the NHATS; Elliot et al., 2013). Furthermore, the design of ICTs may present challenges in the face of psychomotor and cognitive changes in late life; such designs may limit use of technologies among some older populations. For example, smartphone apps or other technologies that have the potential to facilitate communication in late life may be too complicated for many older adults or may require fine motor skills that are too demanding (Charness and Boot, 2016). Technical updates and new operating systems can also alter the format of technologies after older adults have mastered them, and may present barriers to continued utilization.

Technology use and purpose of use also vary by gender. Data from the NHATS revealed that men are more likely to use technologies in general and are more likely to use technologies for informational purposes in particular, whereas older women who use technologies do so to foster social engagement (Kim et al., 2017). Consistent with this gender difference, data from the HRS documents that women are more likely than men to use social networking sites (SNSs) like Facebook (Yu et al., 2016).

In sum, there is a digital divide in older adults’ adoption of technologies based on structural factors (Fang et al., 2019). Older adults who have more resources and better education and cognitive function are more likely

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

to use technologies that may enhance their social connectedness. Gender differences complicate these patterns, however, with men more likely to use ICTs in general, but women more likely to use technologies specific to communication (e.g., text messaging, SNSs). Other individual factors (e.g., race/ethnicity) condition ICT use as well. As such, it is not clear which factors influence use of these technologies specifically for communication and social engagement, although extant data hint that individuals who are advantaged with a larger social network are also the ones who are most likely to use ICT to connect to social partners.

Use of Technologies for Communication and Social Connection

A fundamental question in the study of technologies in late life is the extent to which older adults who do use these new technologies (e.g., smartphone, video conference, social media) do so for communications and social connection (for a discussion, see Hulur and McDonald, 2020). Researchers suggest that older adults who use technologies for social connection do so for two motivations: (a) the complementary use of technologies for communication to supplement and reinforce existing social ties, and (b) the compensatory use of technologies for communication to make up for lack of social ties and disadvantages (Sims et al., 2017).

Evidence suggests complementary use of these media. Older adults are more likely to use these technologies when their social partners assist them and encourage them to do so (Francis et al., 2018). Similarly, older adults who wish to use technologies such as SNSs are often motivated by a desire to communicate with family members and friends who also use these network sites (Charness and Boot, 2016). Social partners may play a key role in motivating older adults to use technologies, helping them set up and learn to use these technologies, and problem-solving difficulties (i.e., “glitches”) that arise. Children, grandchildren, and other younger people may assist in using and updating technologies in ways that strengthen older adults’ sense of connection to these helpers.

A study relying on focus groups in the Midwest found that older adults’ requests for assistance with ICT generated stronger bonds to family members and generated interactions with experts in technology (e.g., customer service) outside the older adults’ family (Francis et al., 2018). A clinical trial introduced older adults to the internet, social media, and emails in a continuous care retirement community (i.e., a single facility with older adults residing in independent living units, assisted living units, and skilled nursing facilities; Cotten et al., 2017). The study introduced peer teaching in promoting ICT use; these peer connections were successful for technology adoption because older learners enjoyed learning from an age mate, and individuals of similar ages shared experiences.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

Data also support the compensation model. Yu and colleagues (2016) suggested that individuals who are widowed or are homemakers may be compensating for lack of social networks in their greater use of SNSs. A study conducted with a subset of the HRS sample found that older adults who live alone benefited more from use of the internet than did older adults who resided with others (Cotten et al., 2014). Likewise, a growing number of older adults use dating websites to find new romantic partners (Davis and Fingerman, 2016; Griffin and Fingerman, 2018).

Many studies have focused on use of SNSs such as Facebook in old age. In addition to constraints on use of technologies in general, barriers to use of SNSs include older adults’ concerns about privacy, fear of identity theft, and perceived lack of security that may be specific to social media (Bixter et al., 2019; Hutto et al., 2015). Nevertheless, many older adults do use SNSs. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 46 percent of older adults reported use of Facebook in 2019 (Perrin and Anderson, 2019). It is not clear that older adults use Facebook in the same manner as younger adults, however. A cross-sectional nationally representative study of 1,000 adults aged 18 to 93 revealed age differences in Facebook networks. Compared with younger adults, older adults reported smaller Facebook friend networks, but a greater proportion of actual friends (i.e., also friends outside of Facebook; Chang et al., 2015). That is, older adults who use Facebook do so to engage with people they already know. In sum, ICTs, including social media, have the potential to help retain and reinforce existing supportive ties and also have the potential to generate new social connections.

SOCIAL USE OF TECHNOLOGIES AND WELL-BEING IN LATE LIFE

Researchers are particularly interested in whether ICTs can be used for social connection to improve social engagement, social isolation, loneliness, depressive symptoms and depression, life satisfaction, and physical wellbeing. To date, many studies have documented benefits of different forms of ICT use on these outcomes (Cotten et al., 2012, 2014; Heo et al., 2015). In documenting these associations, however, the majority of research has relied on cross-sectional data, with only a few studies using longitudinal data. Moreover, one study of 92 adults over the age of 50 found that introducing tablets increased (rather than decreased) loneliness (Pauly et al., 2019), perhaps due to social comparisons that arise via SNSs.

On the whole, however, adults seem to benefit from use of ICTs. Reciprocally, older adults with better well-being may be more motivated to use technologies. Data from the HRS (i.e., 2006, 2008 or 2012 waves of data) revealed that internet use was associated with fewer symptoms of depression cross-sectionally and longitudinally (Cotten et al., 2012, 2014). Chopik (2016) examined cross-sectional data from the HRS and linked use

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

of social technologies (e.g., email, SNS, online video/phone calls, online chatting/instant messaging, smartphone usage) to a variety of positive outcomes (e.g., reduced loneliness, better life satisfaction, fewer chronic conditions, better health). These associations are also evident among adults in very late life. Sims et al. (2017) recruited a nationally representative sample of 445 adults over age 80. Older adults reported their use of 16 technologies (e.g., online banking, video games, digital books, fitness trackers, email, video calls). Using more devices or apps was positively associated with feeling connected to loved ones and life satisfaction and negatively associated with loneliness and functional limitations. Furthermore, use of ICTs for social connection was associated with less loneliness and better psychological well-being, above and beyond the number of devices.

Longitudinal studies have also confirmed the direction of these associations over time. Cotten and colleagues examined ratings of internet use from 2002 to 2008 in the HRS. Controlling for prior depression and prior internet use, they found that internet use reduced the probability of a future depressive state by about 33%. Likewise, Szabo and colleagues (2019) studied over 1,000 New Zealand adults aged 60 to 77 and assessed three purposes for online engagement: social (e.g., engaging with friends/family), instrumental (e.g., banking), and informational (e.g., health information). Over four years, from 2013 to 2016, use of technologies for social purposes was associated with decreased loneliness and increased social engagement, which in turn were associated with better psychological well-being.

The literature has also focused more specifically on benefits of using SNSs. The Georgia Tech Home Lab study provided detailed information regarding Facebook use. This cross-sectional convenience study included 142 volunteer participants over the age of 50 who completed a brief survey of social media use (e.g., Skype and Facebook) and traditional communication media (e.g., phone, face-to-face, letter). Bell et al. (2013) analyzed these data and found that older adults who used Facebook were more satisfied with their social lives than older adults who did not use Facebook, but they were not less lonely.

Individuals use SNSs in several ways, but three types of behaviors stand out: (a) social communication directed at specific individuals, (b) broadcast communications to the broader network, and (c) passive consumption of social partners’ posts. Hutto and colleagues (2015) also drew on the convenience sample in the Georgia Tech Home Lab to show that older adults who engaged in directed communications via SNSs (as opposed to broadcast and passive communications) were less lonely and more satisfied with their lives.

National data may tell a different story about Facebook use and wellbeing in adulthood. Shakya and Christakis (2017) conducted a longitudinal study of US households using three waves of Gallup’s web-based polling data (2013 to 2015). The survey asked about the people that participants could

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

confide in or spend time with (referred to as “real world” social networks). Participants also provided the researchers access to their Facebook accounts. Notably, the study by definition excluded adults who did not use Facebook (i.e., over half of older adults). The researchers examined the number of Facebook friends, the number of times participants “liked” someone else’s content, clicked on links posted by friends, and updated their own status on Facebook. Cross-sectional and prospective analyses revealed that real-world social connections were associated with better self-rated psychological health, life satisfaction, and physical health. Facebook behaviors (e.g., liking another’s content and clicking links posted by friends) were associated with poorer well-being. Furthermore, the negative effects of Facebook were comparable or greater than the positive effects of having real-world social connections. This study did not provide analyses by age, and future research is necessary to disentangle these patterns in older populations.

In sum, ICTs may not substitute for face-to-face social contact and connection but may provide older people with opportunities to connect to the social world virtually. Additional research is necessary to understand how phone use, texting, video conferencing, and other one-to-one social connections via ICT might be beneficial in the absence of other face-to-face connection.

INTERVENTIONS TO IMPROVE SOCIAL CONNECTION VIA ICT USE

Given the number of devices available to facilitate communication easily and inexpensively, interventions to mitigate social isolation and improve social connectedness in late life are tenable. For example, the World Health Organization recently launched a digital application (or app) to provide healthcare and social workers resources necessary to reduce social isolation in late life (Chaib, 2019).

Randomized controlled studies of interventions have begun to examine ICT use to alleviate social distress or promote social connection. A synthesis of this literature is limited because studies use different definitions of social involvement, vary in ICTs examined, and may not include long-term follow-up. Likewise, some intervention studies intended to enhance social connection via ICTs have relied on small samples, qualitative data, or demonstration projects. Furthermore, because these interventions typically target older adults who are not familiar with the technologies, the intervention must include training elements. Training may introduce social contacts that are difficult to account for in assessments of the intervention (Shillair et al., 2015).

Intervention studies with control groups present convincing findings regarding the benefits of ICT use. Shillair and colleagues (2015) conducted

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

a randomized controlled trial (RCT) introducing laptop computers and internet access to improve loneliness and social isolation. The study drew on a convenience sample residing in assisted living and independent living communities. The intervention occurred over 8 weeks and involved training on laptop computers. The study also included a placebo group (received the same number of sessions with the trainers, but no ICT use) and a true control (no ICT/no placebo training). The effects of the ICTs on life satisfaction over time (3 months, 6 months, 12 months) depended on attitudes toward ICT use (Tsai et al., 2019). Older adults who grew more confident about using ICTs to communicate also felt more socially supported, and their overall life satisfaction grew higher over time (Shillair et al., 2015). As such, introduction of ICTs is not a panacea, but rather depends on training and time for the person to become comfortable with these technologies.

Another intervention, the Personal Reminder Information Social Management System (PRISM) study recruited 300 volunteers over the age of 65 residing independently in the community. The intervention provided participants with a mini desktop PC with free internet access, a printer, and free access to the internet, including a calendar, photo feature, emails, and online help. The email feature included a “buddy tab” intended to foster social connections between study participants. A control group received similar information in a binder with opportunities to form connections to other participants by sharing their phone number and interests with other participants in their group. At 6 months postrandomization, participants in the PRISM condition showed greater improvements in ratings of loneliness and social support than the binder group, but these differences disappeared at 12 months postrandomization when both groups showed improvements (Czaja et al., 2018). Although these intervention studies point in the direction of benefits from technology for social involvement, some smaller studies have shown opposite effects of using social functions on portable ICTs, perhaps due to feelings of exclusion that increase loneliness (Pauly et al., 2019).

Finally, older adults’ social lives typically involve enclaves of social partners who have long histories of interactions, who are educationally similar, and who share cultural backgrounds (McPherson et al., 2001). As such, older adults who do not use technologies are likely to have older friends and relatives who do not use technologies for communication. Interventions that target one older adult may be ineffective in the absence of including the broader social circle.

USING MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES IN RESEARCH ON SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY

Although the literature regarding older adults’ use of mobile technology has focused broadly on ICTs, researchers have specifically used mobile tech-

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

nologies to examine older adults’ social lives. Using mobile technologies, scholars have generated self-reports of activities and mood throughout the day, observations of conversations, location, and activity level, and links between daily social connections and well-being outcomes.

Self-Reported Social Connectivity via Mobile Devices

Studies of older adults’ social lives have used daily diary methods to assess self-reported social interactions throughout the day (see Table 4-2 for types of measurement and definitions). Many of those studies (e.g., Birditt, 2013) have relied on telephone interviews at the end of the day, without placing demands on older adults to utilize technologies.

Other studies have used ecological momentary assessments (EMAs; surveys that participants complete at intervals throughout the day as they go about their daily life) relying on smartphones preprogrammed specifically for that study, and sometimes including less-educated older adults by providing training and instruction, and technical support follow-ups (Birditt et al., 2018; Fingerman et al., 2020). These methods, by which individuals report on their social connections multiple times a day, shed light on social interactions and how such interactions contribute to health and well-being. These methods can provide insights into the temporal sequencing of events and help identify potential mechanisms linking social connectivity and health or well-being. For example, Birditt et al. (2018) assessed older adults aged 65 and older every three hours for 5 to 6 days, and found that older adults rarely reported social isolation (defined as no contact via face-to-face, telephone, or electronically for three consecutive hours).

TABLE 4-2 Mobile Assessments and Definitions

Type Definition
Self-reported
Daily diary Surveys completed once a day
Ecological momentary assessment Surveys completed multiple times a day
Interval-based assessments Surveys arrive at set times
Event based Surveys completed when particular events occur
Random Surveys arrive at random times
Observational
Mobile phone logs Logs of text messages and phone calls
GPS Location information
Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) App that records snippets of sound at random intervals
Blue tooth Used to assess size of social groups and connection
Measures of health
Ambulatory blood pressure and heart rate Assesses blood pressure and heart rate randomly or at set intervals
Accelerometers Measures acceleration. When sleeping is referred to as actigraphy.
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

Researchers have also used a variety of ambulatory devices to measure associations between social interactions and health indicators, including physical activity, sleep, heart rate, and blood pressure, throughout the day. These studies provide insights into the mechanisms linking social connections and health. Our recent research identified associations between social integration, daily activities, and physical activity in late life using Ecological Momentary Assessments on handheld Android devices—supplemented by objective indicators of physical activity measured with Actical accelerometers (Fingerman et al., 2019). We found that connecting with a wider variety of social partners was associated with greater physical activity and better mood. Social connections and relationship quality are also associated with sleep duration and quality as measured with actigraphs. Cross-sectional research using the National Social Life Health and Aging (NSHAP) data (individuals aged 57 to 85) have focused on sleep and marital quality using actigraph/accelerometer (Chen et al., 2014). Likewise, researchers have examined daily social interactions and ambulatory blood pressure in younger adults but have often not examined older adults (Cornelius et al., 2019). Overall, these studies show that mobile technology can be used to assess many facets of social connection and health and allow examination of temporal links between social ties and health outcomes as they unfold.

Observational Studies of Social Connectivity

Observational studies use smartphone technology to obtain information regarding types of communication, geographic location, and recordings of the natural environment. Mobile devices can be used to assess proximity to social partners using Bluetooth data to determine the strength of the connection between individuals (Boonstra et al., 2015) or the size of social groups (Chen et al., 2014). Researchers can also use the GPS data from mobile devices to assess the geographical location of respondents, including distance from home. A study of older adults found that time spent out of the house (measured with GPS) was associated with exercise and social activities (York and Cagney, 2017).

Another mobile device, the Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) records participants’ utterances as they occur in the natural environment (Mehl, 2017). Studies have shown that the EAR provides unique predictive information beyond self-report. The EAR device can also be used to track human behaviors that are less conscious, including sighing, swearing, and laughing, as well as emotional tone, all of which can provide important information about mental and physical health. The EAR device may also provide information about the effects of early-stage cognitive impairments and the effects of hearing loss on conversation and social engagement, but has not been used specifically in these contexts.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

CONCLUSION

Social networks become smaller as people age, and older people are more likely than their younger counterparts to report feeling lonely and socially isolated (Kemperman et al., 2019). ICT use in older populations offers great promise for fostering social connection. The use of mobile technologies to gather data on the social connectivity of older people in relation to their health and well-being can lay groundwork for effective policies and practice strategies to enhance social connection. However, the limitations of such strategies must also be considered by recognizing that mobile technologies may not always be effective substitutes for in-person social contact. Below, we briefly review several major themes in the current research evidence on mobile technology use and social connectivity with older populations and identify strategic directions for future research.

The first major theme concerns the need for additional research on information and communication technologies and social connection among older adults. Today’s older people grew up in an era devoid of such technologies, and thus opportunities, constraints, and rewards of information and communication technologies are highly likely to differ for younger and older age cohorts. Use of technology has largely saturated younger cohorts, whereas there are sizable discrepancies in use of technologies in late life. Older adults who are well off typically use new technologies, whereas those who are less well off typically do not (Hargittai, 2018). These discrepancies reflect education and resources; older adults who have greater access and knowledge are more likely to adopt these technologies. Moreover, Black and Hispanic Americans are less likely to have broadband connections at home, which reduces the usefulness of ICTs (and the potential human capital they are associated with) and may lead to disparities.

Other disparities reflect social resources. Individuals who are more socially engaged and socially connected through family and friends are also more likely to have social partners who provide them with technologies, provide instruction in usage, and serve as targets for connection through SNSs (e.g., Facebook). Further, women are more likely than men to use technology for social networking (Kim et al., 2017).

Second, current research evidence on the use of and benefits from ICT is limited because many studies rely on small samples and cross-sectional designs. These approaches reflect the challenges of defining sampling in older adults. It is highly likely that the use of mobile technologies for social connection are affected by the mental, physical, and cognitive status of people as they age, and disentangling these factors in research is complex. Studies that have used national samples with longitudinal data suggest that ICT use in late life is beneficial (e.g., Cotten, et al., 2014). Nevertheless, much of this research is limited to two national datasets (NHATS, HRS),

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

both of which have limited items addressing ICT use. Substantial investment is required to execute studies that draw on multiple items and multiple methods to assess social connection and use of technologies over time.

Third, given the growing burden of dementia in aging societies, there is a pressing need for research examining interventions to increase the use of ICTs to foster social connectivity. Interventions and programs using such technologies may be particularly important to assist people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Nevertheless, early intervention studies on how technologies can alleviate caregiver burden have had limited success, and the costs of the technologies outweighed the benefits. Relatively low cost technologies, such as GPS, may assist caregivers to locate persons with dementia who tend to wander, though the ethics of using such devices has also been questioned (Mahoney and Mahoney, 2010). Future intervention research might focus on the feasibility, ethics, and dissemination of these existing low-cost technologies.

In this chapter, we discussed several ways in which ICTs intersect with the well-being of older populations: (a) older people’s use of ICTs with regard to social connection, (b) factors that facilitate or set up barriers for the use of such technologies, (c) the impact of using these technologies for social connection to improve well-being in late life, (d) interventions to increase social connectivity via adoptions of ICTs, and (e) research applications using mobile technologies. ICTs offer many opportunities to enhance feelings of social connection among older populations, and to promote their well-being. ICTs may also confer benefits outside of promoting social connection, such as health monitoring, banking, and other daily tasks. Future research should consider the potential costs and benefits across ICTs used by older people, with close attention to the purpose and consequences of different types of ICTs. As future cohorts grow older, the use of ICTs for social connection in late life may continue to grow.

REFERENCES

Anderson, M., & Perrin, A. (2017, May 17). Technology use climbs among older adults. Pew Research Center. Available: http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/05/17/technologyuse-among-seniors/.

Anderson, M., Perrin, A., Jiang, J., & Kumar, M. (2019, April 22). 10% of Americans don’t use the internet. Who are they? Pew Research Center. Available: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/22/some-americans-dont-use-the-internet-who-are-they/.

Bell, C., Fausset, C., Farmer, S., Nguyen, J., Harley, L., & Fain, W.B. (2013). Examining social media use among older adults. In Proceedings of the 24th ACM Conference on Hypertext and Social Media (pp. 158–163). New York, NY: Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/2481492.2481509.

Berkowsky, R.W., Sharit, J., & Czaja, S.J. (2018). Factors predicting decisions about technology adoption among older adults. Innovation in Aging, 1, igy002. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igy002.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

Birditt, K.S. (2013). Age differences in emotional reactions to daily negative social encounters. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 69, 557–566. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbt045.

Birditt, K.S., Manalel, J.A., Sommers, H., Luong, G., & Fingerman, K.L. (2018). Better off alone: Daily solitude is associated with lower negative affect in more conflictual social networks. The Gerontologist, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny060.

Bixter, M.T., Blocker, K.A., Mitzner, T.L., Prakash, A., & Rogers, W.A. (2019). Understanding the use and non-use of social communication technologies by older adults: A qualitative test and extension of the UTAUT model. Gerontechnology, 18, 70–88. https://doi.org/10.4017/gt.2019.18.2.002.00.

Boonstra, T.W., Larsen, M.E., & Christensen, H. (2015). Mapping dynamic social networks in real life using participants’ own smartphones. Heliyon, 1, e00037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2015.e00037.

Chaib, F. (2019). WHO launches digital app to improve care for older people. World Health Organization. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-09-2019-who-launches-digital-app-to-improve-care-for-older-people.

Chang, P.F., Choi, Y.H., Bazarova, N.N., & Löckenhoff, C.E. (2015). Age differences in online social networking: Extending Socioemotional Selectivity Theory to social network sites. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 59, 221–239. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2015.1029126.

Charness, N., & Boot, W.R. (2016). Technology, gaming, and social networking. In Schaie, K.W. & S. Willis (Eds.), Handbook of the Psychology of Aging (pp. 389–407). Amsterdam: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-411469-2.00020-0.

Chen, Z., Chen, Y., Hu, L., Wang, S., Jiang, X., Ma, X., Lane, N.D., & Campbell, A.T. (2014). ContextSense: Unobtrusive discovery of incremental social context using dynamic Bluetooth data. In Proceedings of the 2014 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing: Adjunct Publication (pp. 23–26). New York: ACM.

Chopik, W.J. (2016). The benefits of social technology use among older adults are mediated by reduced loneliness. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19, 551–556. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0151.

Chopik, W.J., Rikard, R.V., & Cotten, S.R. (2017). Individual difference predictors of ICT use in older adulthood: A study of 17 candidate characteristics. Computers in Human Behavior, 76, 526–533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.08.014.

Cornelius, T., Birk, J.L., Edmondson, D., & Schwartz, J.E. (2019). Romantic relationship satisfaction and ambulatory blood pressure during social interactions: Specificity or spillover effects? Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 53, 223–231. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kay030.

Cotten, S.R. (2017). Examining the roles of technology in aging and quality of life. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological and Social Sciences, 72, 823–826. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx109.

Cotten, S.R., McCullough, B.M., & Adams, R.G. (2012). Technological influences on social ties across the lifespan. In K.L. Fingerman, C.A. Berg, J. Smith, & T.C. Antonucc (Eds.), Handbook of lifespan development (pp. 647–672). New York, NY: Springer Publishers.

Cotten, S.R., Ford, G., Ford, S., & Hale, T.M. (2014). Internet use and depression among retired older adults in the United States: A longitudinal analysis. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 69, 763–771. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu018.

Cotten, S.R., Yost, E., Berkowsky, R., Winstead, V., & Anderson, W. (2017). Designing technology training for older adults in continuing care retirement communities. Boca Raton, FL: Human Factors and Aging Series: CRC Press (a division of Taylor and Francis).

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

Czaja, S.J., Boot, W.R., Charness, N., Rogers, W.A., & Sharit, J. (2018). Improving social support for older adults through technology: Findings from the PRISM randomized controlled trial. The Gerontologist, 58, 467–477. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnw249.

Davis, E.M., & Fingerman, K.L. (2016). Digital dating: Online profile content of older and younger adults. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 71, 959–967. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbv042.

Elliot, A.J., Mooney, C.J., Douthit, K.Z., & Lynch, M.F. (2013). Predictors of older adults’ technology use and its relationship to depressive symptoms and well-being. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 69, 667–677. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbt109.

Fang, M.L., Canham, S.L., Battersby, L., Sixsmith, J., Wada, M., & Sixsmith, A. (2019). Exploring privilege in the digital divide: Implications for theory, policy, and practice. The Gerontologist, 59, e1–e15. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny037.

Findlay, A.H., & Nies, M.A. (2017). Understanding social networking use for social connectedness among rural older adults. Healthy Aging Research, 6, e12. https://doi.org/10.1097/HXR.0000000000000012.

Fingerman, K.L., Huo, M., Charles, S.T., & Umberson, D.J. (2020). Variety is the spice of late life: Social integration and daily activity. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 75(2), 377–388. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbz007.

Francis, J., Kadylak T., Makki, T., Rikard, R.V., & Cotten, S.R. (2018). Catalyst to connection: When technical difficulties lead to social support for older adults. American Behavioral Scientist, 62, 1167–1185. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764218773829.

Griffin, E.M., & Fingerman, K.L. (2018). Online dating profile contact of older adults seeking same and cross-sex relationships. Journal of GLBT Family Studies, 14(5), 446–466.

Hargittai, E. (2018). The digital reproduction of inequality. In D. Grusky (Ed.), The Inequality Reader (second ed., pp. 660–670). New York: Routledge.

Harlow H.F., Dodsworth R.O., & Harlow M.K. (1965). Total social isolation in monkeys. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 54(1), 90–97. Available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC285801/pdf/pnas00159-0105.pdf.

Holt-Lunstad, J., Robles, T.F., & Sbarra, D.A. (2017). Advancing social connection as a public health priority in the United States. The American Psychologist, 72, 517–530. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000103.

Hulur, G., & McDonald, B. (2020). Rethinking social relationships in old age: Digitalization and the social lives of older adults. American Psychologist, 75(4), 554566. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000604.

Hutto, C.J., Bell, C., Farmer, S., Fausset, C., Harley, L., Nguyen, J., & Fain, B. (2015). Social media gerontology: Understanding social media usage among older adults. Web Intelligence, 13, 69–87. https://doi.org/10.3233/WEB-150310.

Ihm, J., & Hsieh, Y.P. (2016). The implications of information and communication technology use for the social well-being of older adults. Information, Communication, and Society, 18, 1123–1138. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2015.1019912.

Kim, J., Lee, H.Y., Christensen, M.C., & Merighi, J.R. (2017). Technology access and use, and their associations with social engagement among older adults: Do women and men differ? Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 72, 836–845. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw123.

Kemperman, A., van den Berg, P., Weijs-Perrée, M., & Uijtdewillegen, K. (2019). Loneliness of older adults: Social network and the living environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030406.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

Klinenberg, E. (2016). Social isolation, loneliness, and living alone: Identifying the risks for public health. American Journal of Public Health, 106, 786–787. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303166.

Koon, L.M., McGlynn, S.A., Blocker, K.A., & Rogers W.A. (2019). Perceptions of digital assistants from early adopters aged 55+. Ergonomics in Design, 28(1), 16–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/1064804619842501.

Mahoney, E.L., & Mahoney, D.F. (2010). Acceptance of wearable technology by people with Alzheimer’s disease: Issues and accommodations. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 25, 527–531. https://doi.org/10.1177/1533317510376944.

McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Cook, J.M. (2001). Birds of a feather: Homophily in social networks. Annual Review of Sociology, 27, 415–444. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.27.1.415.

Mehl, M.R. (2017). The electronically activated recorder (EAR): A method for the naturalistic observation of daily social behavior. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26, 184–190. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721416680611.

Mitzner, T.L., Savla, J., Boot, W.R., Sharit, J., Charness, N., Czaja, S.J., & Rogers, W.A. (2019). Technology adoption by older adults: Findings from the PRISM trial. The Gerontologist, 59, 34–44. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny113.

Pauly, T., Lay, J.C., Kozik, P., Graf, P., Mahmood, A., & Hoppmann, C.A. (2019). Technology, physical activity, loneliness, and cognitive functioning in old age. GeroPsych: The Journal of Gerontopsychology and Geriatric Psychiatry, 32, 111–123. https://doi.org/10.1024/1662-9647/a000208.

Perrin, A., & Anderson, M. (2019, April 10). Share of U.S. adults using social media, including Facebook, is mostly unchanged since 2018. Pew Research Center. Available: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/04/10/share-of-u-s-adults-using-social-media-including-facebook-is-mostly-unchanged-since-2018/.

Shakya, H.B., & Christakis, N.A. (2017). Association of Facebook use with compromised well-being: A longitudinal study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 185, 203–211. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kww189.

Shillair, R.J., Rikard, R.V., Cotten, S.R., & Tsai, H.Y. (2015). Not so lonely surfers: Loneliness, social support, internet use and life satisfaction in older adults. Paper presented at the Proceedings at the University of California, Irvine, Newport Beach, CA. http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73666.

Sims, T., Reed, A.E., & Carr, D.C. (2017). Information and communication technology use is related to higher well-being among the oldest-old. The Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 72, 761–770. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw130.

Szabo, A., Allen, J., Stephens, C., & Alpass, F. (2019). Longitudinal analysis of the relationship between purposes of internet use and well-being among older adults. The Gerontologist, 59, 58–68. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gny036.

Tanskanen, J., & Anttila, T. (2016). A prospective study of social isolation, loneliness, and mortality in Finland. American Journal of Public Health, 106, 2042–2048. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303431.

Tsai, H.Y., Rikard, R.V., Cotton, S.R., & Shillair, R. (2019) Senior technology exploration, learning, and acceptance (STELA) model: From exploration to use—a longitudinal randomized controlled trial. Educational Gerontology, 45, 728–743. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2019.1690802.

Umberson, D. & Montez, J.K. (2010) Social relationships and health: A flashpoint for health policy. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 51, S54–S66. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022146510383501.

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×

Umberson, D., Olson, J.S., Crosnoe, R., Liu, H., Pudrovska, T., & Donnelly, R. (2017). Death of family members as an overlooked source of racial disadvantage in the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114, 915–920. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1605599114.

York, C.E., & Cagney, K.A. (2017). Aging in activity space: Results from smartphone-based GPS-tracking of urban seniors. Journals of Gerontology, Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 72, 864–875. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbx063.

Yu, R.P., Mccammon, R.J., Ellison, N.B., & Langa, K.M. (2016). The relationships that matter: Social network site use and social wellbeing among older adults in the United States of America. Ageing and Society, 36, 1826–1852. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X15000677.

__________________

Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 67
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 68
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 69
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 70
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 71
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 72
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 73
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 74
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 75
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 76
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 77
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 78
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 79
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 80
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 81
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 82
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 83
Suggested Citation:"4 Use of Technologies for Social Connectedness and Well-Being and as a Tool for Research Data Collection in Older Adults - Karen L. Fingerman, Kira S. Birditt, and Debra J. Umberson." National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/25878.
×
Page 84
Next: 5 Using Machine Learning to Forecast and Improve Clinical Outcomes and Healthy Aging Using Sensor Data - Alvin Rajkomar »
Mobile Technology for Adaptive Aging: Proceedings of a Workshop Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $60.00 Buy Ebook | $48.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

To explore how mobile technology can be employed to enhance the lives of older adults, the Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine commissioned 6 papers, which were presented at a workshop held on December 11 and 12, 2019. These papers review research on mobile technologies and aging, and highlight promising avenues for further research.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    Switch between the Original Pages, where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  9. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!