The benefits of and constraints to participation in seniors’ online communities

Abstract

Participation in seniors' online communities is a significant trend in elders' leisure use of the Internet. Based on an online survey of 218 members of 16 communities, this study explored the experience of participation in such communities. Results identified seven psychological benefits resulting from participation, the most salient being 'Joyfulness', 'Stimulation' and 'Companionship'. Analysis also revealed various positive impacts on members' offline social life, interests and activities, as well as instrumental contribution. Negative experiences and several constraints to participation were discovered as well. Still, the findings suggest that the communities offer various mechanisms for enhancing seniors' well-being and promoting successful ageing.

Life satisfaction in the internet age – Changes in the past decade

“…These findings did not correspond to the research literature, which found communication and entertainment activities to be important sources of life satisfaction (Blit-Cohen & Litwin, 2004;Carle, 2007;Iyer & Eastman, 2006;Kiger, 2006;Nimrod, 2014;Wright, 2000). We can speculate that life satisfaction is more connected to the scope and types of such activities (Nimrod, 2014), than to the actual existence of these activities in the preceding three months.…”

“…Most of the surveys exploring the impact of internet use on life satisfaction in late adulthood have applied a macro level approach and referred to internet use as a single activity, without differentiating between various functions and activities (see Nimrod, 2013), or have explored the communicative aspect of internet uses (Blit-Cohen & Litwin, 2004;Nahm & Resnick, 2001;Nimrod, 2014) and leisure activities (Carle, 2007;Cody et al, 1999;Iyer & Eastman, 2006). Comparatively little research effort has been expended in examining how internet use for other purposes, such as information seeking, entertainment activities and online purchasing, may relate to life satisfaction.…”

TIC e sociedades cada vez mais envelhecidas: uma contextualização de estudos no Brasil, em Portugal e em outros países

“…A análise dos dados revelou vários efeitos positivos sobre a vida social offline bem como as amizades feitas online que levam a encontros presenciais (Nimrod, 2014). Vários dos entrevistados descreveram as comunidades online como uma fonte de informação e como um lugar para encontrar pessoas que estão interessadas nas mesmas atividades e com quem podem trocar ideias, recomendações e informações.…”

Internet Use in Young Adult Males: from the Perspective of Pursuing Well-Being

“…found that group members who shared original poetry, drawings, journal entries, and stories recovered and promoted self-esteem. Online groups can offer members opportunities to present works of self-expression to an extensive audience with minimum embarrassment or selfconsciousness, with positive effects (Johansson and Götestam 2004;Nimrod 2014). Given that online social support is social support acquired from virtual space, it is necessary to test the concurrent effect of self-esteem and online social support on SWB from a comprehensive perspective by incorporating the relationships among the three highly related variables.…”