It is undeniable that young people are often "glued" to their personal devices, but not everyone knows that even the group of users aged 60 to 80, or even older, are increasing the time they spend using smartphones, tablets...
According to a report by the Pew Research Center (data used by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics), the time Americans aged 60 and older spend on personal mobile devices has increased by nearly 30 minutes per day compared to the previous decade. "Screen time for those in their 60s, 70s, and 80s is increasing regardless of gender or education level, while time spent by older adults on activities such as reading and socializing is decreasing," the Pew report concluded.
Older users are spending more time looking at their phones and tablets than ever before.
Abbie Richie, founder and CEO of assistive technology company Senior Savvy, says many older adults don't seem to realize how much time they spend staring at a screen, or how "attached" they are to technology. "They have the same dopamine release and FOMO (fear of missing out) as younger people," she says.
Dopamine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter that acts on brain regions to bring about feelings of joy, satisfaction, motivation, and other effects in controlling behavior, memory, mood, concentration, etc.
Richie also expressed concern that sedentary lifestyles and frequent screen time are damaging the health and well-being of older adults. She said obesity, eye strain, and physical and social isolation are “side effects” of excessive use of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.
Some might argue that for older people who live alone, using their phones and tablets can help them feel less lonely by interacting with others online, but that is only one part of the feeling. This interaction can be counterproductive in many cases, for example, when a grandmother cannot attend a grandchild's birthday or join a family vacation, she has to watch videos sent home or posted online, in which everyone is happy and "wishing grandma were here". At that point, the feeling of loneliness grows much stronger and becomes regret.
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