Technology, Older Adult Users and Assistive Devices

Abstract

Older adults comprise an increasing proportion of current and potential Internet users. Understanding the current state of Internet use among older adults as well as the ways their use has evolved may clarify how best to support digital media use within this population. This review synthesizes the quantitative literature on Internet access, types of use, and know-how in using the Web among older adults. We explore social inequalities in relation to each domain and review work on the relationship between Internet use and health. We find a clear disparity among older adults when making within-group age-group comparisons; the young-old are more likely to access and use the Internet as well as have better Web-use skills than their more mature counterparts. Higher income and better education consistently distinguish Internet access, use, and skills in older adulthood. With respect to gender, the disparity reported for the oldest-old in relation to Internet access does not appear to replicate itself among younger cohorts. Studies report a generally positive impact of Internet use on health and well-being although a general bias towards publishing significant results may limit reporting on findings in this area. We recommend the use of more inclusive recruitment designs that use a lower age floor and include older adults living in supportive care. This area is ripe for new research that explores specific domains of Internet use, applies more standardized measurement approaches, and brings more focus to the role of health and well-being as antecedents and outcomes of being online.