Escape loneliness by going digital: A quantitative and qualitative evaluation of a Dutch experiment in using ECT to overcome loneliness among older adults

Abstract

Background: This study evaluates the outcomes of an Internet-at-home intervention experiment that intended to decrease loneliness among chronically ill and physically handicapped older adults through introducing them to the use of an electronic communication facility. Method: To determine the effectiveness of the experiment in terms of reducing loneliness, 15 older adults were interviewed three times: shortly before the start, two years later and immediately after termination of the experiment, while their loneliness scores at zero and post-measurement were compared with those of a control group. Results: Both the participants and the control persons experienced a reduction in loneliness over time. However, the reduction was only significant for the intervention participants. Moreover, the changes in loneliness were significantly greater among the participants compared to the control persons. When looking more in detail, the effect of the experiment was only significant regarding emotional loneliness and among the highest educated. Findings of the qualitative research enabled us to understand the mechanisms through which the intervention helped alleviate loneliness. E-mail was found to facilitate social contact. Furthermore, the computer and Internet were often used to pass the time, taking people's minds off their loneliness. Unexpectedly, the intervention also improved people's self-confidence. Conclusion: The decline in loneliness is likely to be greater if persons under more favorable circumstances are selected and if more social functions of the Internet are used.

Acknowledgements

This project was made possible thanks to the financial support provided by the City of Eindhoven, the Nationaal Fonds Ouderenhulp, a foundation for the elderly, the VSB Fund, health insurers CZ Zorgverzekeringen, Toshiba Computers, Mior Automatisering and the Sluyterman van Loo Fund. The project team was made up of a project leader representing SeniorWeb, representatives of the local branches of the Red Cross and De Zonnebloem, the Social Development Department (DMO) and the Management Information and Research Department (BiO) of the City of Eindhoven, the GGD Health Service and the social welfare organisation Loket Welzijn. Research into the effect of loneliness was carried out by the Department of Applied Gerontology of Amsterdam's Vrije Universiteit. The project team were supported by BiO, the Social Infrastructure and Technology Department of the Fontys University of Professional Education and the Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute (NIDI) in The Hague. The Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute also conducted a process evaluation study to be used in a national comparative study into the effect of interventions to prevent and reduce loneliness among older adults.