Negotiating Technological Engagement: Use and Non‐Use Among Older Adults in Assisted Living

Abstract

AbstractRecent research on digital inequalities has shown that some individuals, including older adults, display careful consideration when deciding to use or not use technology. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between aging and technology use by examining not only the types of technologies used by older adults, but also how they make decisions about that use. Using semi‐structured interviews and observations of staff members, residents, and family members of residents at a privately owned, for‐profit assisted living facility in the northeast U.S., this research offers essential insights into the relationship between older adults and technology, along with the implications of that relationship on policy recommendations surrounding technology use. First, consistent with recent trends in research, the findings of this study reveal how technology use among older adults involves a complex decision‐making process. Specifically, they navigate use and non‐use by considering their skills and needs, while also managing their limitations and fears of technology. They also employ advanced mechanisms to compensate for the missed opportunities of non‐use. Treating use as a negotiated process urges policymakers and practitioners to prioritize older adults' agency when considering the implementation of technological policy and intervention. Second, I propose an Interaction Approach of Technology Use as a more nuanced way to understand older adults' technology use as it relates to the degree of independence or dependence that occurs during that use. An interactive approach allows researchers and policymakers to consider a wider range of use when examining the relationship between older adults and technology.