Getting the elderly to use social network sites

SINCE Malaysia will be an aging nation by 2035, it is important to prepare strategies to maintain and improve the quality of life of the elderly now. Most elderly people not only face the natural deterioration of physical health but also experience social and emotional loneliness. Hence, strategies should also consider their psychological needs.

Studies have shown that an effective strategy that is capable of maintaining social relationships among the elderly and to reduce their social isolation and loneliness is to encourage them to use social network sites (SNS) such as Facebook and WhatsApp. Unfortunately, the percentage of elderly people with a SNS profile is remarkably low in many countries.