Mechanisms of Social Interaction and Virtual Connections as Strong Predictors of Wellbeing of Older Adults

Socially engaged older adults are less likely to decline in health and happiness and have a higher quality of life. Building upon this premise, examination was conducted on the domains of social determinants of health, specifically the social and community context per Healthy People 2030 objectives. These mechanisms of social interaction, in the form of group activities, community engagement, and virtual interactions via email or text message, were assessed using hierarchical regression analysis to find out their association with wellbeing, depression symptoms, and cognition of older adults. The data included a total of 4623 sample of older adults from the National Health and Aging Trend Study (NHATS) Round 8. The results showed that social support explained a 40.3% unique variance on wellbeing. The use of text message and email had a moderating effect on community engagement and self-reported depression level in older adults. Findings suggest that community programs, shared group activities, or technology training workshops can improve social interaction and support cognition and reduce depression in older adults. Directions for future research include examining human behaviors and perceptions and increasing technology training sessions to promote independence of older adults and increase their social connections. In addition, participant involvement in interventions would enhance the possibility of success of such endeavors.

Automated summary

Socially engaged older adults are less likely to decline in health and happiness, and have a higher quality of life. Social support plays a significant role in the wellbeing of older adults, while the use of text messages and emails can moderate community engagement and depression levels. Community programs, group activities, and technology training workshops can improve social interaction, support cognition, and reduce depression in older adults.