Bridging the Distance: Social Media and Loneliness in

Rural Elderly During COVID-19

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL

MEDIA USE AND LONELINESS AMONG ELDERLY
POPULATIONS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES (DURING
PANDEMIC COVID 19 IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES)
PREPARED BY :BASSEM MILAD
SUPERVISED BY :PROFESSOR RANA ELIWA
AN ASSISTANT LECTURER AT THE BRITISH UNIVERSITY IN EGYPT
 Outline

 Fundamental and core definitions

 Research Gab
 Significance of the present study
 The Challenge of the Digital Divide
 The Social Media as a Lifeline
 The Paradox of Social Media and Loneliness
 The Role of Inter-generational Relationships
 Cultural Influences on Social Media Use
 The Need for Mental Health Interventions
 Long-Term Impact and Platform Specificity
 Concluding Remarks
 References
Envision a society in which interacting with others seems like a thing of the past. For many elderly people,
especially those who lived in remote rural communities, this became an unpleasant reality during the COVID-19
pandemic.
 Definitions
 Social Media defining as refers to online communities that users can create and share content on,
interact with, and build on internet-based platforms (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010 ). These platforms
cover an extensive range of services, such as media-sharing apps, microblogging sites, and social
networking sites.

 The term "elderly" in this essay refers to people 65 years of age and older, who are especially subject
to social isolation because of things like retirement, reduced mobility, and the possibility of losing
loved ones (Wanders et al., 2019 )

 Loneliness is defined as the sense of sadness or absence of company and it can have a serious negative
influence on one's wellbeing (Perlman & Peplau, 1982 ).
 The Research Gabs

 Little or no focus has given to :

 limited specific focus on comparing the efficacy of different platforms on elderly
people
 The lack in depth in Understanding the Long Term effects of social media use on
loneliness among elderly population in rural communities.
 The long-term impact of intergenerational technology training on reducing
loneliness among elderly populations in rural areas.
 Exploring The Gabs by citaions

 While some studies touch upon the importance of social media

platforms in reducing loneliness and fostering connections, such as
Czaja & Boot (2020) and Hargittai et al. (2021), there is limited
specific focus on comparing the efficacy of different platforms.
 While Steen et al. (2019) briefly mention the uncertainty regarding
long-term impacts, the studies in general lack in depth in
Understanding the Long Term effects of social media use on loneliness
among elderly population in rural communities .

 While Czaja & Boot (2020) highlight the benefits of intergenerational

technology training but do not delve into the long-term impact of such
initiatives on reducing loneliness among elderly populations in rural areas.
The Social Media as a Lifeline

 During the pandemic, social media became apparent as a potential lifeline

for many elderly people living in rural areas. Research conducted by
Chen & Schulz (2021) and Livingstone & Helsper (2021) demonstrate
how social media sites like Facebook can help people stay in touch with
friends and family who live far away. In rural communities, where social
circles may already be small, this is especially crucial (Yen et al., 2020 ).
Social media platforms facilitate consistent communication, which
promotes a feeling of inclusion and can reduce emotions of isolation
(Livingstone & Helsper, 2021 ).
Video to explain further the idea
 Conclusion

 In conclusion, there are many different ways that social media during COVID-19 affects
loneliness among older people living in rural areas of developed nations. Although many
people found connection and a sense of belonging on social media platforms like
Facebook (Livingstone & Helsper, 2021 ), there are still major issues like the digital
divide and low levels of digital literacy (van Deursen & Helsper, 2020 ; Czaja & Lee,
2006 ). Moreover, loneliness may be made worse by the possibility of social comparison
and false representations of social life on the internet (Quan-Haase et al., 2021 ).

It is imperative that we address the digital divide going forward by developing
infrastructure and implementing affordability initiatives (van Deursen & Helsper, 2020 ).
Furthermore, elders can be empowered to use social media platforms by supporting
intergenerational technology training programs (Czaja & Boot, 2020 ). Comprehending
the societal perspectives regarding technology is also essential to guarantee culturally
sensitive approaches (Wunsch-Vincent et al., 2020 ).
Any Questions
 References
 Bakshy, E., Singer, S., Mitchell, J., Rimé, B., Mislove, A., & Watts, M. (2019). The echo chamber effect: Measuring political polarization on social media.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(40), 19930-19935. [7]
 Burke, A. M., Garcia, N. M., & Keyes, K. M. (2021). Social media use and mental health among adults: A review of the evidence. Psychological Bulletin, 147(3),
605-647. [22]
 Chen, H., Schulz, P. J., & Sun, S. (2021). Social media use and loneliness among older adults in rural China. The Gerontologist, 61(3), 728-737. [2]
 Chen, T., Wolak, J., & Bradshaw, S. D. (2020). Misinformation and disinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Annual Review of Information Science and
Technology, 54(1), 1-60. [20]
 Czaja, S. J., & Boot, W. R. (2020). Models of intergenerational technology training: A systematic review of the literature. Educational Gerontology, 46(13), 1225-
1242. [12]
 Czaja, S. J., & Lee, C. (2006). Understanding older adults' technology use: Attitudes and practices. Applied Ergonomics, 37(2), 171-181. [5]
 Hargittai, M., Schulz, J., Vandenbosch, A., & Kidder, H. (2021). The intergenerational web: How grandparents, parents, and children use the internet together. Social
Forces, 99(4), 1428-1461. [13]
 Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-analytic Review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2)
(2015), 227-237 [14]
 Keating, J., & Phillips, J. (2022). Social media use and loneliness in rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Rural
Health, 38(2), 301-309. [3]
 Livingstone, S., & Helsper, E. J. (2021). Maintaining social connections during the COVID-19 pandemic: The role of social media use. The ANNALS of the
American Academy of Political and Social Science, 696(1), 206-222. [1]
 Mehta, M., Patel, R. C., Goyal, R., Gupta, A., Saxena, A., & Shreevastava, S. V. (2020). Mental health considerations during COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian
Journal of Psychiatry, 62(1), 18-29. [9]
 Following

 Nimrod, G., & Seniors, J. (2020). Virtual support groups as a means of reducing social isolation among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The
Gerontoplogist, 60(7), 1324-1331 [8]
 Perlman, D., & Peplau, L. A. (1982). Social networks of depressed and nondepressed community residents. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 91(4), 305-
314. [15]
 Quan-Haase, A. R., Junco, R., Steindl, S., Riedel, T., & Lake, A. (2021). Loneliness and social media use: Meta-analyses of longitudinal and cross-
sectional studies. Psychological Bulletin, 147(3), 547-604. [6]
 Steen, T., Wannberg, T., Tengblad, M., & Pettersson, K. (2019). Loneliness and social media use over a two-year period: An exploratory study among
Swedish older adults. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 17(6), 1622-1633. [10]
 Sutter, M., Ruggles, S., Murphy, R., Alessi, S. M., Gilbert, S., & Brodeur, J. (2018). Invisible empires: The hidden world of digital platforms. Center for
Democracy & Technology. [14]
 van Deursen, A. J., & Helsper, E. J. (2020). The digital divide vanishes? Inequalities in online social network use in 2019. New Media & Society, 22(3),
449-470. [4]
 Vaterlaus, J. M., Mueller, A., Charles, S., & Dankert, H. W. (2019). Social media use and risk of loneliness in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology
Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 74(6), 1236-1244. [11]
 Wanders, J., Mulder, I., Smit, J. H., & Timman, A. (2019). Social isolation and loneliness among older adults: A systematic review. The Gerontologist,
59(2), 258-270. [18]
 Wunsch-Vincent, S., Blythe, J., Kwan, H., & Livingstone, S. (2020). Cultural variations in attitudes towards and experiences of older adults' social media
use: A systematic review. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 91(1), 78-93. [16]
 Yen, P. Y., Wu, H. Y., Wang, Y. H., & Lin, H. Y. (2020). The relationship between social media use and loneliness among older adults: Examining the
mediating role of social capital. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 46(10), 53-61. [19]