Michigan ,August 26:

Surprised to see your grandparents making friends on Facebook, chatting online or using instant messaging services on smartphones? If yes, take heart, as indulging in social media could reduce loneliness as well as chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes in older adults. It is because, social media technology like emails, Twitter, Skype has the potential to cultivate successful relationships among older adults, the reseachers said. “Each of the links between social technology use and physical and psychological health was mediated by reduced loneliness,” said William Chopik, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, in the US.

The study also found that participants active on social media platforms were generally more satisfied with life and had fewer depressive symptoms as well as chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. More than 95 per cent of the elderly participants in the study, said they were either “somewhat” or “very” satisfied with technology, while 72 per cent said they were not opposed to learning new technologies. “Older adults think the benefits of social technology greatly outweigh the costs and challenges of technology,” Chopik added.

Published by : Avinash Nandakumar