Abstract
When a socially isolated older person develops a human connection enabled by digital media, in what ways does this affect her everyday reality and self-perception? While the field of gerontechnology continues to grow the body of objectivistic knowledge regarding the effectiveness of various digital interventions and specific design features addressing loneliness, we remain distanced from understanding the impact of digital interactions on isolated older adults’ identities and lived experiences in its full complexity. To close this gap, this paper proposes a human-first, phenomenology- and hermeneutics-driven approach. In May and June 2021, 15 pairs of younger volunteers and socially isolated older adults, equipped with tablets, were guided to gradually build a digital friendship over four weeks. While training the older participants during home visits and collecting rich multimodal data through observations, in-depth interviews, phone check-ups, and participants’ communication logs, diverse ethical motivations led the author to abandon the idea of maintaining a completely rational, distanced position through phenomenological bracketing. The unprecedented sensitivity of the interplay between older age and loneliness, as well as its manifestation during the technology acceptance and learning process required the involvement of empathy and emotionality on the researcher’s side. Reflecting on the methodological process of the present study, this paper offers key learnings and highlight crucial ethical considerations for future qualitative research with older adults. Moreover, the study’s preliminary findings are shared to shed more light on the various identity and wellbeing changes new technology adoption may trigger in older adults.
Presenters
Marek HasaStudent, Ph.D., Charles University, Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism, Czech Republic
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Social and Cultural Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Older Adults, Social Isolation, Loneliness, Digital Media, Phenomenology, Senior Identity
