"Grandma Friended Me!" Seniors and Social Networking

In the January 2010 issue of Insight for Caregivers, we saw how computer use promotes healthy aging. This month, we will look at the way today's older adults are using computers to enhance social relationships. 

As we grow older, many of us tend to withdraw from the social networks and activities we once enjoyed. Failing health and decreased energy make it harder to get out of the house. Hearing impairment causes communication frustration and a sense of isolation. The loss of a spouse, children moving away, and retirement from work can all lead to the breakdown of long-time social networks. Can online connections help fill the gap?

If the phrase "online social networking" brings to mind a 20-something thumbing away on a Blackberry, think again. Today, seniors are the fastest growing group who are using social networking as a tool for expanding social connections and keeping up with family and friends.

Experts on aging have long known that staying socially connected improves physical and emotional well-being, increases mental alertness, and encourages a more active lifestyle. New research confirms these benefits and more, pinpointing the mechanisms behind the protective properties of human interaction that lessen the risk of Alzheimer's disease, promote heart health, improve symptoms of depression and minimize the effects of stress.

Research is underway to find out how effectively online connections meet the social needs of our later years. But one thing is already known: more and more seniors value these new technologies, as evidenced by the numbers using them.

Seniors Online: What the Numbers Say

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project reveals that 45% of 70 - 75 year-olds were online in 2009—up from only 26% in 2005. Email remains the most popular online activity for all seniors, with 74% of older internet users sending and receiving email. And according to a survey by Evercare, even centenarians are active online, with 10% using email and 12% sharing photos over the internet.
 
Another study by AARP and the Center for the Digital Future found that seniors and baby boomers are increasingly social on the Web:

• 58% of members of "online communities" who are over 50 log on to their site daily or several times a day, compared to 47% of members under 20.
• 46% of users over age 70 said the internet was important or very important in maintaining their social relationships.
• Of people 50 and older who participate in online communities for social causes, 36% said their social activism has increased since they joined the group.

But Are Online Connections the Same?

In a word, no. Using a webcam isn't the same as having a grandchild sitting on your lap. And it may be fun and beneficial to talk fishing or antique collecting with others via the chat room, but it doesn't take the place of old-fashioned interaction with others.

Online social contact does, however, build continuity in relationships, and allows for daily interaction that was not available to seniors in previous times, when letters or long distance phone calls provided the only connection with far away loved ones. The convenience of email, social networking sites and webcam connections can help take the edge off loneliness. And, these technologies can be a lifeline for those with health problems that keep them confined to home.

Here are some of the new ways seniors are staying connected online:

Blogging

A blog—short for "weblog"— is an online journal that can be updated regularly. Some "bloggers" just report on their own lives and thoughts; others focus on a particular topic, with a journalistic approach. Online visitors can make comments and link to their own blogs. Many seniors are creating their own blogs (often using one of the many free services such as Blogger or LiveJournal). Seniors are becoming ever more active in the "blogosphere," posting comments on the blogs of companies, individuals, news media sites and political groups.

Social Networking Websites

Sites such as Facebook and MySpace allow users to create a personal mini-website with information, comments and photos. Users control who has access to their page (allowing access is called "friending"). They can see who their friends have "friended," and can invite those people to join their group as well. Many seniors keep in touch with family, neighborhood and interest groups using these free services. Senior living communities are also using social networking sites to connect residents and families and keep them up-to-date on activities and important information. With hundreds of millions of users worldwide, social networking offers a greater pool of potential social connections than ever before.

Twitter

Twitter is a social networking service that allows users to "microblog"—that is, to send out very short messages (called "tweets") to the computers or text-enabled phones of others. A user chooses people, businesses, organizations, etc., from whom to receive tweets. For example, a senior following grandchildren's tweets might hear over the course of a day that "Jacob is bored in math class," "Josh is reading the new Harry Potter book" and "Emily's soccer team is in the paper today" with a link to the article. And seniors are sending out tweets of their own about what's going on in their day and what they are thinking about.

Online Communities and Chat Rooms

Online communities are groups of people who exchange messages on websites that offer "forums" or "bulletin boards." Online communities (also known as "virtual communities") allow seniors to "meet" others with a shared membership or interest, such as a hobby, favorite TV program, health condition or class reunion group. Longtime friendships have developed over the decades that these communities have existed. Some online communities also offer chat rooms, where participants can keyboard online conversations in real time. AARP and SeniorNet sponsor online communities especially for older adults, and major sites such as Yahoo, Google and MSN.com also offer communities and chat rooms.

Webcams

Fifty years ago, science fiction often described videotelephones in the homes of the future. In reality, this "fixture" hasn't caught on much—who wants the caller to see you in your bathrobe when you rush to answer the phone? But webcams have been more eagerly adopted, and seniors are some of the most enthusiastic users these days. Webcams are special cameras connected to a computer that send sound and video to another computer. For example, grandparents can read a bedtime story to grandchildren on the other side of the world, and families report that this kind of connection helps sustain and nurture relationships between the generations.

Want to Learn More?

AARP's Secrets of Social Networking offers a tutorial and information about Facebook, Twitter and online communities.

The Pew Research Center's Generations Online in 2009 reports ongoing information about seniors online.

Next Month: While internet access and social networking allow many seniors to keep in touch with the world and with friends, there are pitfalls to be aware of. Just as in real life, seniors may be targeted by scam artists online. In the March 2010 issue of Insights for Caregivers, read "Keeping Seniors Safe Online" to learn about issues to discuss with your loved one—and some suggestions about how to open the conversation.