The use of the internet by older adults in Poland

Abstract

It is generally accepted that it is young people who are particularly interested in information and communication technologies (ICT). Older adults remain to be considered less prepared, not only technically, but also mentally, to use the Internet. However, the development of ICT may contribute to extending life activities by facilitating everyday activities such as shopping or improving the health status of older adult generations. This is even more important in light of the latest demographic trends that indicate a rapid increase in population ageing, especially in developed countries. The aim of this study is to examine the use of the Internet by older adults in Poland, taking into account the diversity of these people in terms of belonging to a given generation of seniors and in terms of their sex. The methods include questionnaire surveys and statistical data processing. The results show that older adults are becoming more and more digital. In relation to the respondents surveyed, the hypothesis that the interest of older adults in using the Internet decreases with age was not confirmed. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that future research should focus on the comparison of the use of the Internet by older adults from different countries, and therefore, from different cultural areas or areas implementing different social policies.