Introduction
Half of adults over the age of 60 are at risk for social isolation, and approximately one-third of older adults will experience some form of loneliness in their lives (Chen & Schulz, 2016). Personal connection and social interaction are vital components of health throughout the lifespan (Landeiro et al., 2017). According to Eskimez et al. (2019), loneliness was seen in 56% of elderly living in a nursing home, possibly due to older adults transitioning from working to retirement, loss of a loved one, or worsening health conditions. Risk of mortality in older adults increases with social isolation and lack of social support (Eskimez et al., 2019). Loneliness and social isolation among the older adult population have been found to negatively impact mental health (Landeiro et al., 2017).
The negative feeling that stems from the quality and quantity of social needs not being met is defined as loneliness (Eskimez et al., 2019). Well-being among older adults is mainly dependent on personal relationships (Chopik, 2016). When addressing overall well-being in older adults, research suggests social technology may be a viable option to combat loneliness and social isolation (Chen & Schulz, 2016; Öngün et al., 2016).
Social technology is defined as any form of technology that fosters social interactions and includes communication capabilities (Chopik, 2016). Examples of social technology include email, social networking sites, video or phone calls, instant messaging, and smartphones (Chopik, 2016). Through social technology platforms, the opportunity for social support among family and friends may increase. Social support is defined as an individual’s support system that strengthens the psychological dynamics to cope with emotions (Eskimez et al., 2019). Social technology can bridge location and time gaps, allowing individuals to communicate regardless of geographic location and time zone.
The interweaving of occupations to support desired engagement among community and family activities as well as those involving peers and friends is Social Participation (Gillen & Boyt Schell, 2014). Social participation is an important domain of occupational therapy that practitioners target during intervention. Social technology is a beneficial tool that may further support increased social participation. Social participation is an instrumental activity of daily living that is a component of occupational performance. Occupational therapists can use therapeutic interventions to target social participation among the older adult population, who are more vulnerable and at-risk for social isolation and loneliness.
This study aims to investigate the impact of social technology on older adults’ perceived loneliness and social isolation within a residential living facility. Researchers of the current study hypothesized that social connectedness through participants’ use of social technology medium Sherish℠ Connect, which consists of televised photographs and voice recordings, will have a positive effect on associated perceived loneliness and social isolation in an older adult residential setting.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Literature Review
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion
- References
- Appendix A
- Appendix B
- Appendix C