Social media not a universal cure for all elderly

Social media is not always suitable for making the elderly less isolated. This has been revealed by research conducted by Eveline Hage, who will be awarded a PhD by the University of Groningen. She researched the use of social media by the elderly and its effects. For some elderly, a social media presence actually had a negative effect.

The elderly often find new technology difficult to get to grips with. How can they be helped? And once they start, will this affect their contact with others? Is the assumption that social media will resolve the isolation problem true? According to PhD candidate Eveline Hage, many elderly really enjoy going online. However, her research has also revealed that an online presence can actually have a negative social effect on some – the socially weak in fact become even more socially weak. They move out of their isolation even more rarely.

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