SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life
The world population is aging and loneliness has become one of the major issues affecting the quality of life of our senior citizens. Additionally, we have observed that social computing increases social contexts through the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Smartphone and tablet pr...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hindawi - SAGE Publishing
2016-07-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/155014772150734 |
| _version_ | 1797765528465440768 |
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| author | Isabel Marcelino Rosalía Laza António Pereira |
| author_facet | Isabel Marcelino Rosalía Laza António Pereira |
| author_sort | Isabel Marcelino |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The world population is aging and loneliness has become one of the major issues affecting the quality of life of our senior citizens. Additionally, we have observed that social computing increases social contexts through the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Smartphone and tablet proliferation also empower people to interact and create and share contents, strengthening new forms of communication independent of time and space. Therefore, the senior population would have a lot to gain by using social networks to overcome their solitude. Nevertheless, the elderly are still digitally excluded due to their lack of technological skills, as well as age-related impairments. This work presents a social network tailored for the senior population where the feelings of belonging, companionship and connectivity, well-being and interaction, meaningfulness, and emotional comfort are empowered. Our contribution aims to digitally include all seniors—independent of their educational level, literacy, or technological skills—by promoting a social network that allows them to share their life experiences, strengthen communication, improve their awareness of still playing an active and useful role in society, encourage emotional comfort, improve their health condition, and provide new forms of joyful entertainment in their lives. The final evaluation indicates that all seniors were very enthusiastic about the experience. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:11:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2ed170cca68d48fda8f834fb9e0956d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1550-1477 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T20:11:24Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Hindawi - SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks |
| spelling | doaj.art-2ed170cca68d48fda8f834fb9e0956d22023-08-02T01:37:59ZengHindawi - SAGE PublishingInternational Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks1550-14772016-07-011210.1177/155014772150734SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of LifeIsabel Marcelino0Rosalía Laza1António Pereira2 School of Technology and Management, Computer Science and Communications Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal Higher Technical School of Computer Engineering, University of Vigo, Polytechnic Building, Campus Universitario As Lagoas s/n, 32004 Ourense, Spain School of Technology and Management, Computer Science and Communications Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, PortugalThe world population is aging and loneliness has become one of the major issues affecting the quality of life of our senior citizens. Additionally, we have observed that social computing increases social contexts through the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). Smartphone and tablet proliferation also empower people to interact and create and share contents, strengthening new forms of communication independent of time and space. Therefore, the senior population would have a lot to gain by using social networks to overcome their solitude. Nevertheless, the elderly are still digitally excluded due to their lack of technological skills, as well as age-related impairments. This work presents a social network tailored for the senior population where the feelings of belonging, companionship and connectivity, well-being and interaction, meaningfulness, and emotional comfort are empowered. Our contribution aims to digitally include all seniors—independent of their educational level, literacy, or technological skills—by promoting a social network that allows them to share their life experiences, strengthen communication, improve their awareness of still playing an active and useful role in society, encourage emotional comfort, improve their health condition, and provide new forms of joyful entertainment in their lives. The final evaluation indicates that all seniors were very enthusiastic about the experience.https://doi.org/10.1177/155014772150734 |
| spellingShingle | Isabel Marcelino Rosalía Laza António Pereira SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life International Journal of Distributed Sensor Networks |
| title | SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life |
| title_full | SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life |
| title_fullStr | SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life |
| title_full_unstemmed | SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life |
| title_short | SSN: Senior Social Network for Improving Quality of Life |
| title_sort | ssn senior social network for improving quality of life |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/155014772150734 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT isabelmarcelino ssnseniorsocialnetworkforimprovingqualityoflife AT rosalialaza ssnseniorsocialnetworkforimprovingqualityoflife AT antoniopereira ssnseniorsocialnetworkforimprovingqualityoflife |