Evidence Synthesis: Barriers to the Adoption of Technologies by Older Populations

As a part of the APPTA hub solution for social isolation, a review was conducted to better understand what barriers older adults experience when trying to use technologies that could enhance or maintain their social connectedness.

Social isolation is a prominent and complex issue, and older adults are often at higher risk due, in part, to an increasing number of health conditions that limit their ability to fully participate in their community.

As highlighted in a previous brief, technologies can play a significant role in helping seniors remain socially connected and maintain an overall good quality of life. While there are a number of barriers that deter older adults from using technologies, seniors have reported an inherent interest in adopting technologies that can help them maintain their independence and remain socially connected (Botner, 2018; Czaja, Boot, Charness, Rogers & Sharit, 2018; revera report on ageism, 2016; Tomsic, Domajnko & Zajc, 2018; Varportzis, Clausen & Gow, 2017; Vassli & Farschian, 2018).

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