What is it about?
To have an active and social life is important for the physical and mental wellbeing of older people. In our research we looked in which way older people satisfy their social needs and which role social technology (social media) plays in their lives.
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Why is it important?
Our findings show that older people want to stay (socially) active, connected, independent and autonomous. Social relations with other people are important, both intimate and peripheral. It becomes more difficult to fulfil social needs when you are not as healthy or mobile anymore or when network members pass away. Social media now plays a modest role in the social lives of the older people. When older people use it they are quite positive, but when they not use it they have a rather negative attitude towards this form of technology. We think that it is important for their wellbeing that older people stay active, independent and are connected to other people, a neighbourhood and society. Social technology can be a means to be connected.
Perspectives
We hope this article contributes to the understanding of what is important in the lives of older people. With insights in their needs we hope that interventions for older people are more based on the main need of everyone to feel meaningful.
Tina ten Bruggencate
Fontys Hogescholen
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: When your world gets smaller: how older people try to meet their social needs, including the role of social technology, Ageing and Society, April 2018, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s0144686x18000260.
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