Being tech savvy has well being advantages for the aged: examine, expertise information

The coronavirus pandemic has proven to be a catalyst for overhauling the digital skills of older people. With the world’s older citizens stuck at home, away from their children, grandchildren and friends, they have had to learn digital skills. However, according to a recent study, technology could be a good thing for seniors.

A UK study found that spending time online is not only a way to spend time, but it can also be very beneficial. For older people who use online platforms in addition to their traditional way of social interaction, this world of technology has an unbeatable asset – a way to escape dementia.

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This study by the Geller Institute of Aging and Memory at the University of West London and the University of Manchester found that older people who frequently use technology for communication are better able to remember significant events, i.e. there is no decline in her episodic memory. This suggests that they are not falling prey to dementia.

The study, entitled “Social contact and 15-year episodic memory trajectories in older adults with and without hearing loss” examined the communication habits of around 11,000 men and women aged 50 to 90 years.

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The study, conducted over a period of fifteen years and published in the Journals of Gerontology, found that people who only use traditional communication methods such as face-to-face meetings and telephone communication experienced greater decreases in their memory compared to those who participated in their social activity have enriched online.

According to the results of the study for people with hearing loss, an even greater impact was observed, with more diverse communication methods providing greater benefit to cognitive function over time.

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Snorri Rafnsson, Associate Professor of Aging and Dementia at the Geller Institute, led the study. “This shows, for the first time, the impact of various, frequent and meaningful interactions on long-term memory and, in particular, how complementing more traditional methods with online social activities can achieve this in older adults,” said Rafnsson.

“There are combined factors here, as learning to use and interact with online social technologies can provide direct cognitive stimulation to keep memory function active. In addition, communicating through different channels can facilitate the sharing and interaction of social support which in turn benefits our brain.

He also pointed out the impact of various zoom calls that became a key link during the lockdowns to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

“It’s fair to say that all of the zooming that went through the lockdown may have provided the elderly with a pad of protection against dementia,” he explained. “I’m sure it has had a positive effect on the elderly.”

“The more platforms they can master, the better,” he said, emphasizing that there are actually greater benefits to using a wider range of technologies.