Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Corresponding Author: Gomathi Thangavel gomathi. Advancements in science and various technologies have resulted in people having access to better health care, a good quality of life, and better economic situations, enabling humans to live longer than ever before.
Research shows that the problems of loneliness and social isolation are common among older adults, affecting psychological and physical health. Information and communication technology ICT plays an important role in alleviating social isolation and loneliness.
The aim of this review is to explore ICT solutions for reducing social isolation or loneliness among older adults, the purpose of ICT solutions, and the evaluation focus of these solutions. This study particularly focuses on customized ICT solutions that either are designed from scratch or are modifications of existing off-the-shelf products that cater to the needs of older adults.
A scoping literature review was conducted. Articles published in English from to were extracted and analyzed. From the review of 39 articles, we identified 5 different purposes of customized ICT solutions focusing on reducing social isolation and loneliness.
These were social communication , social participation , a sense of belonging , companionship , and feelings of being seen. The mapping of purposes of ICT solutions with problems found among older adults indicates that increasing social communication and social participation can help reduce social isolation problems, whereas fulfilling emotional relationships and feeling valued can reduce feelings of loneliness.
