DigiFam: Alleviating Loneliness Among Elderly Family Members

Problem and Motivation

In a tech-oriented society engrossed in individualism, as opposed to collectivism, certain demographics can easily be left out of the hustle and bustle of everyday life. One demographic that is easily susceptible to being left out is the elderly. Some problems that the elderly face that we want to address are their experiences with loneliness, isolation, and the lack of communication between them and their communities. It is important to address a problem that can affect any older Americans regardless of technology use, as not all older Americans embrace technology equally. If we assume that the elderly does not use technology, then that alone will isolate them further from the interconnectedness of society. Technology should be designed to be more accessible to the elderly, so they can be a part of the conversation and social interaction, especially among their families.

Analysis of Problem

Loneliness and lack of communication with one’s community are problems that are no strangers to the average senior citizen. Around 50% of seniors living alone say they are lonely, and this number is expected to grow in the upcoming years due to the increasing size of the elderly population (Bailey). What makes this problem as serious as it is are the long-term effects of loneliness. Elderly people who identify as lonely are more likely to suffer from cognitive decline, dementia, long- term illnesses like depression or high blood pressure, and experience other declines in physical and mental health (Bailey). A study published by the Industrial Psychiatry Journal defines the root of loneliness as an absence of a social network. As technology becomes more advanced and society becomes more reliant on that technology, an increasing amount of our social interactions take place through that technology. Today’s manufacturers are leaving out the elderly as a demographic for their products thus making modern technology not elderly-friendly. In 2017, 34% of Americans age 65 and up reported use of social networking sites (Anderson and Perrin). Based on a national telephone survey, conducted by the Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute at New York Law School and Older Americans Technology Services, one of the top reasons the elderly use the internet is the communicate with family and friends more easily (Walker). Comparing these two statistics should emphasize how important it is that we make technology more elderly friendly so that we can ease the ability for elderly to stay more connected with their friends, family, and community and decrease the amount of elderly who identify as lonely.