Digital Dimensions
Closing the Digital Divide by Building Intergenerational Relationships and Computer Skills Between Older Adults and College Students
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Angela M. Goins
This paper explores qualitative post data gathered from interviews with older adults, ages, 50 and over, and college students via voluntary participation in a university-based digital literacy project in Fall 2023. Using funding received from a community challenge grant through the American Association of Retired persons (AARP), this project financed the purchase of PC tablets for older adults, 50 and over, living in low-income apartment complexes in a major city in the U.S. Students from an urban university increased digital literacy among these seniors and built intergenerational bonds through trainings offered at on-site apartment locations. Using content analysis, this study highlights themes that emerge from the data that support the need for digital literacy for older adults and intergenerational connections with younger adults.
You've Got a Friend in Me: The Stress-buffering Role of Social Support in Virtual Reality
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Shayna Morrison
The positive health outcomes of social support are well documented (Berkman et al. 2000; Cobb 1976; House 1987; Pearson 1986), and social support has been found to have a stress-buffering effect (Uchino et al. 1996). In fact, just the perception of being able to access social support can help to buffer against stress (Wethington & Kessler 1986). However, social support networks can be difficult to access, particularly for elder communities. The elder population suffers from loneliness, so this social connection is vital to maintaining a sense of belonging and supporting overall health. Thankfully, social support networks are now accessible through virtual platforms. Virtual technology is a burgeoning industry promising hyper-realistic, multi-sensory experiences and is largely an underexplored format of social support. Preliminary studies demonstrate how virtual reality could be used in a variety of settings, particularly in elder care homes, yet little experimental research exists on the potential health benefits of virtual avatars as a form of social support. I hypothesize that virtual social support, using humanoid avatars in a stress test simulation, may enhance the benefits of emotional and informational social support given in virtual reality. Virtual social support has the ability to enhance feelings of social connection and can have stress-buffering effects when used consistently. While social and structural inequalities may limit an individual’s accessibility to in-person social networks, virtual social support may offer benefits to those who need it most.
Innovative Technology in the Provision of Safe and Enjoyable Meals for Older People with Swallowing Disability: Removing Barriers to Implementation
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Bronwyn Hemsley
The aim of this research is to identify the views and experiences of older people, their family members, and staff working in aged care settings (including hospitality food services staff and care assistants, chefs) on what makes a safe and enjoyable meal in aged care for people with swallowing disorders who need texture-modified foods. In a mixed-methods study, collaborating with an aged care service providers and people with swallowing difficulty, we conducted in-depth interviews, focus groups, surveys, and immersive 3D food printing experiences about (a) the impact of the visual appeal of meals, food shaping, and modifying food textures, (b) strategies to improve mealtime safety and enjoyment while on a texture-modified diet, and (c) barriers and facilitators to implementing innovative techniques for improving the visual appeal and enjoyment of food. The results fill a gap in the research relating to improving quality of life and nutrition for older people through attention to co-designed meals that meet their needs for safety and reflect their personal cultures and preferences. New technologies such as generative AI could be used effectively to improve implementation of a wide range of interventions to improve menu planning and food design. Findings will also inform future design of better 3D food printing technologies. Results reveal multiple service- and individual- level changes that are outlined and discussed in relation to aged care quality and safety standards and technological developments. Implications for policy, practice, and technology are presented and discussed.
Is Self-efficacy the Key?: Older Adults, Digital Media and Online Health Service
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Dino Viscovi, Tobias Olsson
Inequalities in working life do not end with retirement, not even in Sweden, with a comparatively extensive pension system and a general health insurance. Individuals, with shorter education, who have worked in low-wage occupations, do not only receive a lower pension. They also have, on average, poorer health and tend to receive poorer healthcare (Agerholm et al 2013). It is well-known how inequalities persist across the life course (c.f. Kendig & Nazroo 2015). But what happens when healthcare is digitalized, and citizens are directed to health services via online channels and platforms? Research on digital divides reveals how younger generations and socioeconomically advantaged people use and benefit more from digital services than less prosperous groups (van Dijk 2020). However, self-efficacy, a psychological factor, tends to have larger impact than several socio-demographic factors. Can self-efficacy have a compensatory effect or does it reinforce existing divides? In order to answer to the question, this paper draws on data from a survey of Swedish citizens, aged 65-90 years (SRS, n=1610), and a path analysis. The paper maps out how generation, education and occupation are positively correlated to professional experiences of computers, which in turn tend to promote self-efficacy as well as access to and usage of digital media in general, and online platforms for healthcare, in particular. The study contributes to research on digital divides in general, and specifically to how such divides interact with processes related to e-government and e-health.
