New York, NY – The COVID-19 pandemic required older adults to use digital technology more but it did not change their overall outlook on technology use, according to a pilot study led by NYU Silver Assistant Professor Tina Kilaberia. The study, coauthored by Dr. Yuanyuan Hu from the University of Minnesota School of Social Work (and NYU Silver PhD ’24) and Dr. Janice Bell from UC Davis Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, was published in JMIR Formative Research.
“Habit, reflecting decades’ worth of technology mastery in a historical sense, is what influenced older adults’ technology use during the pandemic,” said Dr. Kilaberia.
The authors interviewed 18 older adults from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, two regions of the country and in varied living arrangements (e.g., living in the community, with a caregiver, or in congregate housing) about their subjective experiences with technology during the pandemic. Participants also responded to a 19-question survey adapted from a questionnaire about use of and attitudes towards technology so the authors could examine whether those who scored higher fared better in the use of technology than those who scored lower. The two groups had nine older adults each.
Technology was used for online shopping, obtaining virtual health care, information seeking, accessing entertainment, communicating, and spending time socially with others. Among both the lower- and higher-scoring groups, how participants used technology prior to the pandemic and whether they had access to technology support influenced the degree to which they made use of technology during the pandemic.
There were some differences between the two groups. Almost all of those in the higher-scoring group reported using technology for telehealth and ordering groceries vs. less than half of those in the lower-scoring group. Notably, 44% of those in the lower-scoring group described cognitive difficulties and they used technology less to get groceries and household items and to obtain health information. The authors suggested that older adults with cognitive impairment may require enhanced and qualitatively different technology support, particularly to meet their needs during a time of unforeseen change, such as a public health crisis.
According to prior research cited by the study authors, older people experience challenges due to technology literacy (not knowing how to use technology) and health status (illness, frailty or disability). Participants in this current study, by contrast, were fairly competent technology users overall. However, the authors acknowledge the small sample size in which participants were more educated and affluent, which may not be the case in other study samples.
This study was supported by the Addressing Challenges of Family Caregiving During the COVID-19 Pandemic Pilot Grant Program funded by the Family Caregiving Institute, University of California Davis Health.
About the NYU Silver School of Social Work
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.