Adoption and feasibility of a communication app to enhance social connectedness amongst frail institutionalized oldest old: an embedded case study

ABSTRACT

The risks of social isolation and loneliness are becoming emergent issues for older adults (aged 65+) in industrialized countries, particularly for oldest old people (80+) who are frail and institutionalized. Socially isolated and lonely older people are more likely to experience depression, social disengagement, cognitive and physical decline, morbidity, and early mortality. In response to these significant negative health and socioeconomic costs, research suggests using new technologies to enhance opportunities for social connectedness as a strategy to help alleviate both social isolation and loneliness. In this context, following a participatory design method, we developed an accessible communication app with and for frail institutionalized older adults. To test the adoption of this innovative technology and its feasibility to address social isolation and loneliness, we conducted a two-month deployment of the app in a long-term care home with five oldest old and their relatives. Due to access, recruitment, and ethical challenges, the oldest old are a specially understudied group. Using an embedded case study (based on interviews, psychometric scales, field observations, and usability and accessibility testing) and a recursive approach to technology studies, our findings show that technology adoption is based on a complex set of interrelated factors: social, attitudinal, physical, digital literacy, and usability. We also discuss the feasibility of the app to enhance perceived social connectedness amongst our target population, provided that at least one strong tie is involved and communication norms and expectations across generations are considered.

KEYWORDS:

• Oldest old
• technology adoption
• digital communication
• social connectedness
• social isolation
• loneliness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dr Barbara Barbosa Neves is an Assistant Professor/Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Previously, she was Associate Director and Researcher of the ‘Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab’ (TAGlab), Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Canada [email: [email protected]].

Ms Rachel L. Franz is a graduate student at the ‘Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab’ (TAGlab), Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Canada [email: [email protected]].

Dr Cosmin Munteanu is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Communication, Culture, Information, and Technology at University of Toronto Mississauga, and Co-Director of the ‘Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab’ (TAGlab) at University of Toronto [email: [email protected]].

Prof Ron Baecker is the Director of the ‘Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab’ (TAGlab), Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Canada [email: [email protected]].

ORCID

Barbara Barbosa Neves http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4490-4322

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by GRAND NCE as well as by AGE-WELL NCE Inc., both members of the Government of Canada's Networks of Centres of Excellence research program.