Image & Identity : elderly and internet usage

Elderly stats on their internet and social media usage

Furthermore, their 2012 study showed that of those that go online, 71 percent do so daily and 34 percent use social media. The elderly use these tools to bridge the geographic gap between them and their loved ones far away and as a way to re-connect with friends from a far off time.

Research shows the Internet has become an important way to exercise the minds of seniors. A new study out of England and Italy finds that when the elderly are trained in the use of social media as well as Skype and email, they perform better cognitively and experience improved health. During a two year period, 120 seniors in the UK and Italy aged 65 and above were given specially designed computer training and were compared against a control group that did not receive any. Among those that used these tools, the mental and physical capacity improved as opposed to a steady decline experienced in the control group. One woman reported feeling “invigorated” rather than “slipping into a slower pace” and caring more about her appearance and losing weight. It seems that satisfying our basic social needs can have synergistic effects for our overall health.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anita-kamiel-rn-mps/older-people-social-media_b_9191178.html

Just under half the 65+ group were Internet users in 2012. That’s around 280,000 people – over 60,000 more than in 2009. This now technologically engaged group sidesteps queues and escapes bad weather through the convenience of doing things online from home.

Of the older Internet users, just under half (139,000) used the Internet for online banking in the past year. This was the activity the greatest number of the 65+ age group participated in (as for other age groups). Almost as many (135,000) used the Internet to find health information.

Access to such services online can offer significant benefit to those with mobility issues.

The ease of shopping from home also appealed to people aged 65+. Around 137,000 of them (49 percent) made online purchases in the last year. If we look more closely at online spending over a four-week period, 31,000 people spent up to $100 online, and another 24,000 spent up to $500.

http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/yearbook/society/technology/65plus.aspx

https://www.behance.net/gallery/30349983/FERS-Brand-Design