ABSTRACT
Research shows that the use of technological interventions and the internet by older adults have a positive impact on not only the physical but also the psychological condition of the elderly population. Since older adults constitute the digitally marginalized section of society; little research has been conducted so far on the impact and effectiveness of various technologies in reducing loneliness among them. This study undertakes a systematic review of existing literature of empirical studies conducted on the role of technology in reducing feelings of social isolation and ways of effectuating digital inclusion of the seniors. For this purpose, both online and offline studies on the mentioned area of enquiry were considered. Following inclusion/exclusion criteria of considering only those studies written in English that provided empirical evidence of the role of specific technologies in reducing loneliness among those aged 50 years or above, a total of 26 studies conducted during 1985 to 2018 were screened out from approximately 1000 studies pertaining to the theme. Among all the available technological interventions the categories like Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), social media, telecare system, and assistive robots were found to be most frequently applied to mitigate feelings of hopelessness and alienation among the aged. Since the aged are a heterogeneous group who widely vary in their preferences and capabilities, evaluating the effectiveness of such technologies in improving the emotional well-being among the aged, become quite challenging for 254the research undertaken in that area. However, findings suggest that it is necessary to adopt a holistic view of the elderly user’s situation, focusing on the specific contexts in which they adopt or reject certain technologies. This calls for more research work to be undertaken to identify the barriers the older adults face so that the role of new technologies to improve the overall quality of their lives can be effectively evaluated.
