Addressing trends in social connectedness and well-being of older adults: Social isolation, loneliness, and the interplay of digital technologies

There is a concern that social isolation and loneliness will affect many older Canadians, which can have negative consequences on physical and mental health. While there may be a “digital divide” in the older population, some social support studies have unveiled promising evidence for the impact of digital technologies on promoting increased social connectedness and improving older adults’ well-being. In the context of COVID-19, the non-tech-savvy older-adult population may experience diminished social connectedness compared with tech-savvy older adults. This project aims to examine the general trends of social isolation and loneliness and the extent to which digital technologies could alleviate social isolation and loneliness among older adults, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).