Exploring the Impact of Digital Technology on Well-being of Elderly: Comprehensive Review

Description

Page: 66-69

Sakshi Sharma and Sakshi Kaul (School Liberal Arts & Social Science, IILM University, Knowledge Center, Gurgaon, Haryana)

With the rapidly growing technology in the vast pool of fields, the healthcare industry is also experiencing changes. With the introduction of digital technology, there have been many transformations observed in how individuals interact, communicate, and access information. The changes are prominently observed in the lives of people of all age groups including the elderly. The paper aims to delve into the effect of digital technology on the Mental, Physical, and emotional well-being of the elderly taking into consideration both positive and negative impacts. The research considers published studies from 2010- 2024 on the topic, from the databases- Medline/PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Elsevier, Springer, Frontier, DOAJ, and other web-published data. The research records the Positive impacts focused on- enhanced social connectivity- ease of connectivity with the family members living away, reducing feelings of loneliness, improved access to healthcare- teleconsultations and accessing other remote healthcare services, managing tasks- reminders, and improving cognition using applications along with enhancing their sense of independence. Along with the positive impacts comes the contrasting challenges concentrated on Digital literacy being a major barrier, Emotional vulnerabilities of the elderly, Susceptibility to cyber threats, and Dependency on technology giving rise to new issues like Digital Dementia- cognitive decline and memory problems resulting from the excessive use of digital technology such as smartphones, computer, and tablets. Keeping the dual nature of the technology in light, the review paper aims to come up with highlight the perpetuating need for targeted interventions including Age-friendly technology designs, and techniques to protect the elderly from digital scams while empowering them with benefits from digital advancement, and also exploring the areas for future research in the world of rapid advancement.