As the proportion of older adults continues to grow in many Western countries, there are increasing concerns about how to meet their needs. Ensuring social connectedness and inclusion is one way to support older adults’ wellbeing. Online social networking has become common place amongst younger age groups, suggesting its possible usefulness for older adults, in order to combat isolation and loneliness. Some quantitative studies have already explored the amount and degree of online social networking amongst older adults. To add further understanding of how older adults experience social inclusion via the internet, the current qualitative study aimed to explore older adults’ subjective experience of online social networking. Findings demonstrated a number of supports and barriers to social inclusion which reflect barriers to social inclusion of older adults in the non-virtual world. Recommendations to support social inclusion of isolated older adults via online social networking are suggested.
History
Journal
Journal of social inclusion
Volume
3
Pagination
40 - 54
Location
Meadowbrook, Qld.
Open access
Yes
ISSN
1836-8808
Language
eng
Publication classification
C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal
Copyright notice
2012, Griffith University, School of Human Services and Social Work