The Experiences of Older Turkish Adults in Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for Mitigating their Deepening Social Isolation During Disasters

Abstract

Disasters continue to occur and deepen the problems of older adults from disadvantaged groups. In COVID-19, a recent example of a biological disaster, the issue of social isolation worsened, like several other problems among the aged in Turkey. For this reason, it has become essential to try to reduce these problems of the aged, whose population is increasing, to be ready for future disasters. Within the activity theory framework, there has been a need to conduct solution-oriented research with the following research question: “What are the experiences of Turkish older adults in mitigating social isolation by using ICT for social connectedness during the COVID-19 biological disaster?” Thus, we wanted to understand how they tried to reduce their social isolation through ITC by conducting in-depth interviews with 50 older adults who lived in Istanbul and used ICT during the COVID-19 biological disaster. It has been concluded that the aged are shown as passive individuals by constantly comparing them with other generations with the dualities of ‘digital native’ and ‘digital immigrant’ or ‘silver surfer’ and ‘nonuser’ who can continue their activities of obtaining information, staying connected and socializing by finding alternative ways through ICT even in disasters. This positive result may be due to not including the aged who have social problems such as severe health problems and digital and social inequalities in the study. However, older adults can continue their occupation regardless of the conditions, even if they are on ICT, because it positively affects their well-being in terms of being connected to life.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Social isolation
• Social connectedness
• Information and communication technologies
• Older adults
• Disaster

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