Seniors are networking online, just differently
Senior net surfers are less interested in posting photos or quick status updates than writing letters with more detail.
A study undertaken by South Australian Helping Hand Aged Care, found loneliness was a big problem among the aged, despite many enjoying occasional social events like bingo. The study found senior social networkers enjoyed meeting others online and felt more connected.
One way of alleviating loneliness was joining websites like Melbourne-based http://www.aboutmyage.com, which attracted 10,000 Australians aged over 50 in its first year.
The oldest About My Age member is 83. The site’s co-founder and moderator, Beryl, 58, started it with her husband after both were retrenched.
She decided Facebook wasn’t suitable and developed a simple site with features for over 50s, like get-togethers, interest groups, chat, “have a whinge” and feature articles.
“I just wanted to give them a voice. It was to fill a gap in people’s lives,” she said.
Helping Hand researcher, Megan Corlis, said most older people experienced temporal loneliness, which was often felt at certain times of the day.
“For these people, a monthly dinner dance or bingo night is not enough to help them overcome loneliness, so more needs to be understood about why they are lonely,” she said.
The study was presented at the National Conference of the Australian Association of Gerontology annual conference in Canberra at the end of November.
