Qualitative Insights into How Older People and Their Families Use Telecommunications during a Pandemic to Alleviate Social Isolation

Abstract

Older people are increasingly living apart from extended family but traditionally kept in touch using telephone and letter writing. The recent coronavirus pandemic and new technologies such as video-calling and virtual reality encouraged reexamination of how people interact using telecommunications. This was achieved using a qualitative approach and is required for designing effective new ways to communicate for the modern era. While most findings are supported by previous research, new observations are valuable from the ethical and utilitarian perspectives. Younger people in pandemic lockdowns experience similar social isolation and new technologies developed for this would also help them. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Intergenerational Relationships is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)