Bridging the Digital Divide for Older Adults via Intergenerational Mentor-Up

Abstract

Objectives: The effectiveness of Intergenerational Mentor-Up (IMU), an innovative intervention that engages college students in tutoring older adults, was examined with regard to eHealthy literacy and social isolation. Method: A total of 55 older adults (mean age = 73.82) participated in the six-session IMU tutorials. In this mixed methods study, quantitative and qualitative data were collected in a parallel fashion. Participants were interviewed after participating in the IMU. Results: Older adults presented significant improvement between pre- and postsurveys in various outcomes such as eHealth literacy, technophobia, self-efficacy, and interest in technology. Intergenerational interaction brought about by IMU helped to decrease social isolation among older adults. Qualitative data revealed that individualized training, modifications, adaptations, and intergenerational interactions can decrease their anxiety and boost their confidence. Discussion: Study findings enable the identification of the training needs to help close the digital divide and allow these older adults to reap the benefits of technology use.

The Effects of Technological Interventions on Social Participation of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with and without Dementia: A Systematic Review

“…Studies were published between 2005 and 2020. While 12 studies were published before or in the year 2015 [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 ], 24 studies were published after the year 2015 [ 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 , 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ]. Studies were conducted in 11 different countries, with most of them being conducted in the USA .…”

“…The majority of the included studies used a qualitative study design [ 45 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 57 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 66 , 68 , 69 , 75 , 76 ]. Of the remaining studies, 12 were of quantitative nature [ 46 , 52 , 55 , 56 , 63 , 65 , 67 , 71 , 73 , 74 , 78 , 80 ], and 10 studies were considered as mixed methods studies [ 50 , 51 , 53 , 54 , 58 , 64 , 70 , 72 , 77 , 79 ].…”

“…A third of the included studies focused on communication and social networking technology [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 51 , 54 , 57 , 61 , 66 , 68 , 73 , 79 ], and 10 evaluated ICT training programs [ 55 , 56 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 64 , 69 , 70 , 72 , 74 ]. Interestingly, the more recently published studies that evaluated these ICT training programs incorporated the concept of “reverse mentoring” [ 59 , 70 , 72 ]. Within this concept, young adults or students act as mentors and training instructors for older adult participants.…”

Promoting Media Literacy Among Older People: A Systematic Review

“…Eleven articles reported on an intervention that targeted older people’s abilities to understand and evaluate online information and digital media. Almost all ( n = 9) of these articles focused on e-Health literacy: finding, understanding, evaluating, and applying online health information to health problems (e.g., Lee & Kim, 2018; Manafò & Wong, 2013; Xie, 2011a; Young et al, 2012). For example, one intervention focused on learning to recognize and locate 1. reliable health information websites, 2. the sponsor of a health website, 3. the purpose of a health website, 4. the authors of the health information, 5. the reviewers of the health information, 6. the most recent update of the health information, 7. the privacy policy of a health website, and 8. clues about the accuracy of a website’s health information.…”

Obstacles to using online health services among adults age 50 and up and the role of family support in overcoming them

“…Digital literacy is defined as possessing the set of skills necessary for using ICT [14]. Many older adults have a low level of digital literacy.…”