A Socioecological Approach to ICT Use by Adults over 65 and its Implication on Design

Paper in proceeding, 2022

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) by adults over 65 has been studied in the past years extensively to understand any obstacles and facilitators as well as to propose design suggestions that are specific to the group. However, these studies have mainly focused on the adult over 65 as an individual and sometimes also on their immediate social circle. The broader socio-ecological environment of adults over 65 is rarely addressed. In this paper, we present the results of a survey focusing on how highly educated seniors in a highly digitalized society use ICT. We discuss the data from a socio-ecological perspective and draw the attention to the environmental facilitators for the use of ICT in this age group. We conclude with a discussion how design research might address the needs of older adults.