A review on internet use and quality of life of the elderly

Abstract

As the world population rapidly ages, improving the quality of life (QOL) of the elderly and enabling them to age actively is increasingly becoming a global policy concern. In this context, emphasis is also given to information and communication technologies (ICTs) that may play a significant part in enhancing the QOL of the elderly. This review study explores the impact of Internet use on QOL of the elderly by examining available researches in this field. By searching on ADM Digital Library, WEB Science, ERIC, PsycINFO and PubMed databases, this study reviewed 25 studies published after 1990 that investigate the relationship between Internet use and QOL of elderly. The synthesis of the research findings indicates that the functional use of computer and Internet improves QOL for older people. The findings also provide a comprehensive perspective on the current state of knowledge and raises questions for further research.Keywords: elderly, Internet use, quality of life