Technology use, adoption and behavior in older adults: Results from the iStoppFalls project

• Published in: Educational gerontology 2016-06, Vol.42 (6), p.371-387
• Main Authors: Marston, Hannah R., Kroll, Michael, Fink, Dennis, de Rosario, Helios, Gschwind, Yves J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aging (Individuals); Older people; Social networks; Technology adoption; User behavior; Word Processing
• ISSN: 0360-1277; 1521-0472
• DOI: 10.1080/03601277.2015.1125178

Technology use is a common constituent of modern life. However, little is known about older adults' use of technology. This article presents a subset of data collected via the technology deployed in the iStoppFalls randomized control trial. The primary focus lies on questions about digital device/Internet use, ownership, length, and frequency as well as social networking. Data was collected from participants aged 65 years or older. Seventy-eight participants completed a specifically developed technology survey as part of the baseline assessment. Results showed that the majority of subjects owned a computer with men being its main user. Participants used technological devices on a daily basis for more than 1 year. The main reason for using technology was e-mail communication, search engines, text processing, and online shopping. Only a few participants used social network applications, with Google+ and Facebook being the most popular ones. Future work should consider an in-depth qualitative approach to further increase understanding of technology use in older adults.