Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic
Technological advances and increasing life expectancy create a situation where technology becomes embedded in the lives of the elderly in various ways. In March 2020, stay-at-home orders were put into place in Finland to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The physical distancing recommend...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Finnish Social and Health Informatics Association
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Finnish Journal of eHealth and eWelfare |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.fi/finjehew/article/view/122270 |
| _version_ | 1797851081205612544 |
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| author | Piia Silvennoinen Sari Heikkinen |
| author_facet | Piia Silvennoinen Sari Heikkinen |
| author_sort | Piia Silvennoinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Technological advances and increasing life expectancy create a situation where technology becomes embedded in the lives of the elderly in various ways. In March 2020, stay-at-home orders were put into place in Finland to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The physical distancing recommendations were especially targeted to the elderly over 70 years old, with guidance to avoid social contacts outside the family. The social isolation caused by the restrictions increased the use of technology among the elderly, for example, as a venue to maintain contact with other people. Based on semi-structured telephone interviews of 10 Finnish elderly gathered during spring 2021, we explored what kind of role Information and Communication Technology (ICT) had in maintaining their personal networks and social activity during the pandemic. The 10 interviewees (7 women and 3 men) were between 65 and 83 years old. They all lived independently in their homes, either alone or with a spouse. The interviews were analysed by using inductive content analysis. The results show that ICT mitigated the experience of social isolation in multiple ways. Technological devices were used for communication, replacing face-to-face interaction. Moreover, interviewees became active on social media, creating blogs and online materials for their children and grandchildren. The interviewees also used different kinds of devices for entertainment purposes. In addition, they participated in various types of online courses and learnt to use the needed everyday devices. The results highlight the importance of ICT in alleviating the social isolation of the elderly during the pandemic. As the pandemic restricted everyday life, it also provided the solitude to dwell in the digital world and learn to use it to maintain daily routines. Furthermore, due to the pandemic, the interviewees’ digital skills improved and expanded. This study highlights the importance of technology in promoting health, well-being and active ageing among the elderly.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:12:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0aac96348ebd4660afb2b3a48ba79826 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1798-0798 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T19:12:04Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Finnish Social and Health Informatics Association |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Finnish Journal of eHealth and eWelfare |
| spelling | doaj.art-0aac96348ebd4660afb2b3a48ba798262023-04-06T15:13:17ZengFinnish Social and Health Informatics AssociationFinnish Journal of eHealth and eWelfare1798-07982023-04-0115110.23996/fjhw.122270Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic Piia Silvennoinen0Sari Heikkinen1Laurea University of Applied Sciences, VantaaLaurea University of Applied Sciences, Vantaa Technological advances and increasing life expectancy create a situation where technology becomes embedded in the lives of the elderly in various ways. In March 2020, stay-at-home orders were put into place in Finland to reduce transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The physical distancing recommendations were especially targeted to the elderly over 70 years old, with guidance to avoid social contacts outside the family. The social isolation caused by the restrictions increased the use of technology among the elderly, for example, as a venue to maintain contact with other people. Based on semi-structured telephone interviews of 10 Finnish elderly gathered during spring 2021, we explored what kind of role Information and Communication Technology (ICT) had in maintaining their personal networks and social activity during the pandemic. The 10 interviewees (7 women and 3 men) were between 65 and 83 years old. They all lived independently in their homes, either alone or with a spouse. The interviews were analysed by using inductive content analysis. The results show that ICT mitigated the experience of social isolation in multiple ways. Technological devices were used for communication, replacing face-to-face interaction. Moreover, interviewees became active on social media, creating blogs and online materials for their children and grandchildren. The interviewees also used different kinds of devices for entertainment purposes. In addition, they participated in various types of online courses and learnt to use the needed everyday devices. The results highlight the importance of ICT in alleviating the social isolation of the elderly during the pandemic. As the pandemic restricted everyday life, it also provided the solitude to dwell in the digital world and learn to use it to maintain daily routines. Furthermore, due to the pandemic, the interviewees’ digital skills improved and expanded. This study highlights the importance of technology in promoting health, well-being and active ageing among the elderly. https://journal.fi/finjehew/article/view/122270technologypandemicelderlysocial isolation |
| spellingShingle | Piia Silvennoinen Sari Heikkinen Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic Finnish Journal of eHealth and eWelfare technology pandemic elderly social isolation |
| title | Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Elderly people’s perceptions of ICT’s role in alleviating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | elderly people s perceptions of ict s role in alleviating social isolation during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | technology pandemic elderly social isolation |
| url | https://journal.fi/finjehew/article/view/122270 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT piiasilvennoinen elderlypeoplesperceptionsofictsroleinalleviatingsocialisolationduringthecovid19pandemic AT sariheikkinen elderlypeoplesperceptionsofictsroleinalleviatingsocialisolationduringthecovid19pandemic |