Karen R. Griffith MSN, RN, NC-BC
BENEFITS VS DISADVANTAGES
Many seniors still look forward to daily newspaper deliveries for their news updates as well as for their reading pleasure, but the newspaper era has been slowly fading now for many years. The trend is speedily heading toward social media platforms and online news for all ages and generations. The advantages of the newspaper can be measured easily in that there are few ways that information can be shared, or stolen from a newspaper, as it can with social media. There is no direct communication that happens with newspapers unless the newspaper has a site online, which several do now, but most of them require an online subscription fee to allow for interaction and online communications.
Over the last decade or more, social media has become a more popular way that seniors use to get their news, but there are benefits and disadvantages with social media that seniors must be aware of. Being educated about the risks and benefits of social media is extremely important for the senior population and will help them more easily recognize untrustworthy posts, sites, and offers that may come their way via online platforms.
BENEFITS
According to leisurecare.com, the increase in the percentage of seniors online has come about quickly and nearly half of the online adults in the U.S. over the age of 65 have a Facebook account. There are several reasons why seniors have social media accounts and many of them ultimately benefit physical and mental health. On the whole, social media seems to have a positive impact on seniors’ well-being.
Internet use has been shown to reduce seniors’ risk of depression by as much as 33%. One study found that seniors who use Facebook show marked improvements in cognitive function. Another study found similar results when seniors were trained to use email, Skype, and Facebook. So why are so many concerned about the dangers of social media for elderly well-being?
DISADVANTAGES
Social media has been connected to depression in the elderly. When researchers have surveyed social media users of all ages, they’ve found that more social media use is linked with a higher risk of depression. However, this concern might be overblown among the older populations since research indicates that online seniors are less depressed than others using social media.
A research study out of the University of Missouri found that the risk of depression only rose in social media users who were using sites like Facebook to compare themselves to others. The research found depression was tied to an increase of jealous feelings and lower self-esteem. If users were using social media primarily to stay in touch with others, their risk of depression did not increase. Since most seniors use social media for staying in contact with family and friends, it makes sense that most seniors are not at high risk of depression due to social media use.
The bigger concern with the elderly is how social media affects seniors’ in-person interactions. Senior isolation is a serious problem among the elderly population and one with devastating health effects. Social media can alleviate some of these effects, but it’s not enough. Seniors need to spend time in the physical presence of others to avoid the emotional, mental, and physical effects of senior isolation.
If seniors and their families start to treat social media as a replacement for in-person interaction, that could put a larger percentage of seniors at risk for feelings of isolation and loneliness, and it might be time to consider a change.
SCAMS TARGETED AT SENIORS
According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), there is a Medicare scam out there that is targeting the senior populations related to Medicare genetic testing. AARP advises “do not accept genetic testing services, including a cheek swab, from someone who calls you on the phone or offers this at a community event, a local fair, a farmers market, a parking lot or any other large event.
Always be extremely careful and cautious about giving out your Medicare number or other personal information. Never offer this to a stranger.
If you do receive a genetic testing kit in the mail, don’t accept it unless your own physician ordered it. Refuse the delivery or return it to the sender and keep a record of the sender’s name and the date you returned the item.
Always review your Medicare Summary Notice or explanation of benefits. The words “gene analysis” or “molecular pathology” may indicate questionable genetic testing.
For more information, contact your local Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). The SMP program, funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living, helps Medicare beneficiaries to protect themselves from Medicare fraud, errors and abuse, and to detect and report these when they occur. To find your local SMP, visit smpresource.org or call 877-808-2468.
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, social media is a positive tool for seniors, families, and senior caregivers and providers, but it’s something that should be approached with a degree of caution. If social media platforms are your loved one’s main avenue of social interaction or if you’ve noticed they are spending less time with others now that they are on Facebook, or other social media sites, it might be time to suggest they join a local club organization that they find enjoyable.