ICT Usage Type and Life Satisfaction among the Elderly: Comparison by Cohabitant Status (2021).

Sung Eun Cho
Journal of the Korean Gerontological Society 2021, Vol. 41, No. 5, 687-713

Research on older adults' information and communication technology (ICT) use remains in its early stages, often limited to basic aspects such as device ownership. However, these studies frequently overlook the intricate context of ICT usage, neglecting to explore 'who' uses ICT and 'how' they use it. This oversight fails to acknowledge that the effectiveness of ICT devices can vary significantly based on users' backgrounds and usage patterns.

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To address this gap, I examined how older adults' actual time spent on ICT devices relates to their life satisfaction, utilizing data from the 2019 Korean Time Use Survey. Specifically, I investigated the distinct impacts of two types of ICT usage—social and instrumental—on older adults with different living arrangements.

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The findings suggest that for older adults living alone, engaging in social ICT activities such as voice and video calling significantly enhances their life satisfaction, compensating for limited in-person interactions. In contrast, older adults living with others primarily benefit from instrumental ICT functions like web surfing and video streaming. 

I further observed that this discrepancy stems from the fact that older adults in single households tend to prioritize social ICT usage, which is simpler than instrumental usage, due to a lack of individuals available to teach them advanced skills. Conversely, those living with others have a higher likelihood of utilizing more advanced and diverse ICT skills with assistance from household members. Based on these findings, I propose that digital policies targeting older adults should consider personal backgrounds, such as household types, to maximize effectiveness.