Digital Links
Do Social Networks in Later Life Improve the Mental Well-being of Left-behind Older Parents?: Evidence from India View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Manoj Dakua
Social networks, such as ties with spouses and close friends, and participation in social activities benefit older adults' mental well-being globally. India has a rapidly growing ageing population and adult child out-migrants. Prior empirical studies show that mental well-being is significantly associated with this population. However, the exact association between social networks and left-behind elderly parents' mental well-being remains unexposed mainly. To address the need, this study aims to assess the effects of social networks on the mental well-being of left-behind 60+ older parents using LASI data. The study indicates that those who have a close relationship with their spouse and friends and participate in any social activities are less likely to report poor SRH, depression, lower Life satisfaction (LLS), and lower cognitive functions (PCF). Participation in social activities reduced the likelihood of reporting poor SRH by 66%, LLS by 68%, and PCF by 80%. Social networks work as a contraceptive for poor mental well-being.
Help and Care to Older Parents in the Digital Society View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Heidi Gautun
The need for policies that allow next of kin to combine full-time work and care to older people are increasing. Our research is intended to contribute to the development of such policies by helping understand how adult children, combine work and caring for old parents. Using a 2022 survey in Norway, we analyse data collected among 3,332 employees aged 45-67 years, with one or both parents alive. Poor health and living alone were substantial predictors of children’s care to old parents. Parents living at an elderly institution received less care from their children. Assistance with the use of digital technology was the most frequent form of help. The use of digital technology depends on living close to the parent. Age was a substantial linear predictor of helping the parents. There were small differences between daughters and sons. The findings highlight the family as an omnibus institution for providing care that the welfare state does not deliver – be it because of a lack of capacity or because needs are unacknowledged. Daughters and sons are crucial for helping older people cope with limited public services and obstacles imposed by the digital society. As populations grow older, welfare states are likely to struggle even more with delivering the necessary help and care to older people. This observation raises a crucial question for future research and policies alike: Will adult children in employment be able to provide the necessary help and care to their parents?
Breaking the Digital Divide: Addressing Inequalities in Access to Digital Services among Older People View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Sara Nanetti, Simone Carlo
The emergency of COVID-19 has deeply impacted the digitization of many activities and has particularly contributed to the introduction of digital solutions in welfare services. Older people, particularly affected by the pandemic, have been key players in this transformation, as seen in the case of video calls in nursing homes and digital solutions adopted for assistance and care support. Starting from these transformations, this contribution presents the first results of a longitudinal qualitative research that investigated transformations in daily habits and digital tool usage among a panel of active over 65 residents in Italian towns that were among the first affected by the pandemic. The Longitudinal Study on Older People’s Quality of Life during the COVID-19 pandemic (ILQA-19) is a longitudinal qualitative study conducted on a purposive sample of 40 men and women aged between 65 and 80 years, residing in ten countries in the rural area of the province of Lodi (in Italy) and belonging to the first COVID-19 'Red Zone' in Europe. This contribution highlights how active older people have seen their approach to technology transform in recent years and, in particular, what aspects are of greatest interest to the older people in the use of digital technologies and what are the major challenges. Finally, some guidelines to reduce digital divide, and to make digitalization of welfare services better able to meet the needs and expectations of the over 65 population.
