Social Media Reduces Feelings of Isolation and Loneliness Among Seniors

A study teaching seniors how to use programs such as Facebook has found that social media could help reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness among older people. According to the researchers from the Connecting Older Adults project, technology has helped older Australians remain in their homes longer but many also feel cut-off from society. A total of 150 senior citizens were taught how to use Facebook, Twitter, and Skype and were checked on a regular basis for a period of six months. The participants were provided with only six hours of training but many of the participants were surprised at how quickly they learned to use social media. "Based on the early short training, seniors find the technologies usable. We had some measurable benefits in terms of loneliness and social engagement," lead researcher Professor Robert Steele said.