Home » News » Video & phone calls made older generation lonelier during the pandemic, study says
Video & phone calls made older generation lonelier during the pandemic, study says
2:59 PM EDT, Wed July 28, 2021
CNN — When the COVID-19 pandemic changed life for many around the world in early 2020, people found themselves speaking to friends and loved ones via phone or video chat.
Rather than helping alleviate isolation, this virtual contact was more likely to make older generations feel lonelier while staying at home, according to the results of a study published Monday.
Scientists from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom and the University of British Columbia in Canada collected data from 5,148 people aged 60 or over in the UK and 1,391 in the US, who were surveyed both before and during the pandemic.
The study found that older US adults who had more frequent virtual contact were more likely to feel lonely than those who had infrequent face-to-face or virtual contact, especially when face-to-face contact was limited.
Older adults who had more regular in-person contact with friends and family throughout the pandemic had better mental well-being. Virtual interactions were not associated with better mental well-being in either country.
"For the older people that can use it, technology has been invaluable, helping them keep in touch with loved ones and feel connected. However, social contact promotes our wellbeing and helps to stave off loneliness in later life. So whilst digital technology has advanced and has become increasingly sophisticated, it will never be a substitute for social interaction or human contact," Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said in a statement.
Researchers from the University of West London's Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory found that regular communication helps maintain long-term memory, and elderly people who often use online tools showed less decline in memory than those who don't.
Trying to catch COVID-19 on purpose risks lives, medical experts warn
Lee Health continues to see increase in COVID-19 cases
The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
Tags: Covid-19study
Editorial: The 'common good' argues against the unvaccinated's alleged personal freedom
U.S. downs Japan in preview of gold medal softball game