Enhancing social connections amongst older residents of a rural town with community mapping and technology
Year: 2017
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Technology can make a big difference in helping people feel socially connected, but it rarely addresses the needs of older adults (Pedell, Vetere, Miller, Howard and Sterling 2014). While numerous technology-based interventions have been developed to prevent isolation, and enhance social connection, there is little evidence around how effective these technologies are for older people (Barnett, Reynolds, Gordon, Maeder and Hobbs 2017, 10-11). This is of particular relevance in rural communities where longer geographic distances, combined with mobility issues of older people and fewer public services available can lead to isolation and decrease their access to community life – consequently impacting their overall wellbeing. Rural areas in Australia are often perceived as serene, rustic, geographically isolated places populated by people who value both self-sufficiency and community spirit. While we recognise that many older people living in rural communities have deeply embedded connections to people and place, we know that relationships amongst community members is complex and that a one-size-fits-all description of social values only serves to generalise or reduce what is a very rich tapestry of interwoven elements. This study unravels the detail of social connections amongst members of a small rural community in order to better understand which connections are most valuable to a person’s sense of wellbeing. We explore possibilities around supporting, enhancing or replicating these connections with technology in order to make a positive difference in the lives of older adults, and to address the gap in the literature around effective technological interventions for older users.
Author: Paulovich, Belinda
Language: English
Subfield: Geriatrics and Gerontology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2783105393