Abstract
World Health Organization and local governments recommended that older adults self-isolate due to the elevated risk for adverse health outcomes faced when contracting COVD-19. Technology offers better access to virtual communications for social connections and healthcare. Yet, the barriers and facilitators of older adults’ use of technology during this world-changing event are, for the most part, unknown. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize using inductive thematic analysis the literature on broader health and social impacts on older adults from lockdown-related measures caused by the pandemic. The findings consisted of three dichotomous themes regarding older adults’ barriers and facilitators to technology. The first theme centers on personal belief and perception of oneself. The second theme explores the digital literacy continuum. The third theme focuses on older adults’ barriers and facilitators when adopting technology. The practical significance of these findings is to better inform the design and delivery of accessible technology to older adults.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
World Health Organization Older people & COVID-19 website. https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/covid-19. Accessed 01 Feb 2022
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Qualitative Checklist. https://casp-uk.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CASP-Qualitative-Checklist-2018_fillable_form.pdf. Accessed 01 Feb 2022
Thomas, J., Harden, A.: Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Med. Res. Methodol. 8, 1–10 (2008)
Braun, V., Clarke, V.: Qualitative research in psychology using thematic analysis in psychology using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 3(2), 77–101 (2006)
World Health Organization Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 website. https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020. Accessed 01 Feb 2022
Bakshi, T., Bhattacharyya, A.: Socially distanced or socially connected? Well-being through ICT usage among the Indian elderly during COVID-19. Millennial Asia 12(2), 190–208 (2021)
Bardach, S.H., Rhodus, E.K., Parsons, K., Gibson, A.K.: Older adults’ adaptations to the call for social distancing and use of technology: insights from socioemotional selectivity theory and lived experiences. J. Appl. Gerontol. 40(8), 814–817 (2021)
Carenzio, A., Ferrari, S., Rasi, P.: Older people’s media repertoires, digital competences and media literacies: a case study from Italy. Educ. Sci. 11(10) (2021)
Ekoh, P.C., George, E.O., Ezulike, C.D.: Digital and physical social exclusion of older people in rural Nigeria in the time of COVID-19. J. Gerontol. Soc. Work 64(6), 629–642 (2021)
Javanparast, S., Roeger, L., Kwok, Y., Reed, R.L.: The experience of Australian general practice patients at high risk of poor health outcomes with telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study. BMC Fam. Pract. 22(1), 1–6 (2021)
Jiwani, R., et al.: Assessing acceptability and patient experience of a behavioral lifestyle intervention using fitbit technology in older adults to manage type 2 diabetes amid COVID-19 pandemic: a focus group study. Geriatr. Nurs. 42(1), 57–64 (2021)
Johnson, A., et al.: Barriers and facilitators to mobile health and active surveillance use among older adults with skin disease. Health Expect. 24, 1582–1592 (2021)
Llorente-Barroso, C., Kolotouchkina, O., Mañas-Viniegra, L.: The enabling role of ICT to mitigate the negative effects of emotional and social loneliness of the elderly during covid-19 pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Publ. Health 18(8) (2021)
Lopez, K.J., Tong, C., Whate, A., Boger, J.: “It’s a whole new way of doing things”: the digital divide and leisure as resistance in a time of physical distance. World Leisure J. 63(3), 281–300 (2021)
McCabe, L., Dawson, A., Douglas, E., Barry, N.: Using technology the right way to support social connectedness for older people in the era of covid-19. Int. J. Environ. Res. Publ. Health 18(16) (2021)
O’Connell, M.E., Haase, K.R., Grewal, K.S., Panyavin, I., Kortzman, A., Flath, M.E., Peacock, S.: Overcoming barriers for older adults to maintain virtual community and social connections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clin. Gerontol. (2021)
Rao, P., Joshi, A.: Design opportunities for supporting elderly in India in managing their health and fitness post-covid-19. In: IndiaHCI 2020: 11th Indian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, pp. 34–41 (2020)
Saldanha, K.: A view from the other side: a senior’s view of participating in online groups during the pandemic. Soc. Work Groups (2020)
von Humboldt, S., et al.: Smart technology and the meaning in life of older adults during the Covid-19 public health emergency period: a cross-cultural qualitative study. Int. Rev. Psychiatry 32(7–8), 713–722 (2020)
Wang, J., Katz, I., Li, J., Wu, Q., Dai, C.: Mobile digital divide and older people’s access to ‘Internet plus social work’: implications from the COVID-19 help-seeking cases. Asia Pac. J. Soc. Work Dev. 31(1–2), 52–58 (2021)
Chen, A.T., et al.: Reactions to COVID-19, information and technology use, and social connectedness among older adults with pre-frailty and frailty. Geriatr. Nurs. (42), 188–191 (2020)
Daly, J.R., et al.: Health impacts of the stay-at-home order on community-dwelling older adults and how technologies may help: focus group study. JMIR Aging 4(1) (2021)
Greenwood-Hickman, M.A., et al.: “They’re going to zoom it”: a qualitative investigation of impacts and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults. Front. Publ. Health 9, 1–10 (2021)
Kotwal, A.A., et al.: Social isolation and loneliness among san francisco bay area older adults during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 69(1), 20–29 (2021)
Lee, K., et al.: Exploring factors enhancing resilience among marginalized older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. J. Appl. Gerontol. 1–9 (2021)
Liu, Q., Liu, Y., Zhang, C., An, Z., Zhao, P.: Elderly mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative exploration in Kunming, China. J. Transp. Geogr. 96 (2021)
Pisula, P., et al.: Qualitative study on the elderly and mental health during the COVID-19 lock-down in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Part 1. Medwave 21(4) (2021)
Tomaz, S.A., et al.: Loneliness, wellbeing, and social activity in Scottish older adults resulting from social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Publ. Health 18(9) (2021)
Wagner, P., Winkler, A., Paraschivoiu, I., Meschtscherjakov, A., Gärtner, M., Tscheligi, M.: Tracing COVID-19 - older adults’ attitudes toward digital contact tracing and how to increase their participation. In: ACM International Conference Proceeding Series, pp. 349–353 (2021)
American Library Association: Digital Literacy (n.d.)
Carstensen, L.L., Isaacowitz, D.M., Charles, S.T.: Taking time seriously. Am. Psychol. 54(3), 165–181 (1999)
Saturday Night Live Amazon Echo Silver. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvT_gqs5ETk. Accessed 01 Feb 2022
BBC How the computer changed the office forever. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23509153. Accessed 01 Feb 2022
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Keohane, S., Swarbrick, C., Helal, S. (2022). Barriers and Facilitators to Technology Among Older Adults During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Using Thematic Analysis. In: Gao, Q., Zhou, J. (eds) Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population. Design, Interaction and Technology Acceptance. HCII 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13330. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05581-2_33
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05581-2_33
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-05580-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-05581-2
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)