Comments on: Successful Aging: Is Social Interaction the Key? http://blog.ilcuk.org.uk/2007/11/29/successful-aging-is-social-interaction-the-key/ a think-tank impacting policy on longevity, ageing and population change Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:20:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Kevin Harris http://blog.ilcuk.org.uk/2007/11/29/successful-aging-is-social-interaction-the-key/#comment-1504 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:53:38 +0000 http://blog.ilcuk.org.uk/2007/11/29/successful-aging-is-social-interaction-the-key/#comment-1504 To my shame, I've only just discovered this report but am very glad to have done so. It may be of interest to know that I recently prepared a review for Age Concern England on older people and neighbourliness (full and briefing versions to be published shortly). I wouldn't necessarily say that social interaction is 'THE key' to successful ageing, but it's fair to say it's the most overlooked and least appreciated. My review places the issue within a historical context of the impact of a perceived decline of neighbourliness, and factors such as the increasingly discretionary nature of neighbouring. Incidentally, I think Patsy Clark is absolutely right to stress the enormous potential of online networks. As a group, older people's use of online is increasing more rapidly than any other age group and user-friendly networking systems are becoming widely accessible. It could be a good time for a thorough study of older people's social networks which took account of such channels, the amount of face-to-face interaction that takes place (independently or as a consequence of remote connections), and the extent to which local connections predominate (or don't). Kevin Harris To my shame, I’ve only just discovered this report but am very glad to have done so. It may be of interest to know that I recently prepared a review for Age Concern England on older people and neighbourliness (full and briefing versions to be published shortly). I wouldn’t necessarily say that social interaction is ‘THE key’ to successful ageing, but it’s fair to say it’s the most overlooked and least appreciated. My review places the issue within a historical context of the impact of a perceived decline of neighbourliness, and factors such as the increasingly discretionary nature of neighbouring.

Incidentally, I think Patsy Clark is absolutely right to stress the enormous potential of online networks. As a group, older people’s use of online is increasing more rapidly than any other age group and user-friendly networking systems are becoming widely accessible. It could be a good time for a thorough study of older people’s social networks which took account of such channels, the amount of face-to-face interaction that takes place (independently or as a consequence of remote connections), and the extent to which local connections predominate (or don’t).

Kevin Harris

]]> by: Patsy Clarke http://blog.ilcuk.org.uk/2007/11/29/successful-aging-is-social-interaction-the-key/#comment-1418 Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:19:13 +0000 http://blog.ilcuk.org.uk/2007/11/29/successful-aging-is-social-interaction-the-key/#comment-1418 One of the ways referred to from the floor at yesterday's seminar was the use of the telephone to promote social interaction and reduce isolation. With the increasing accessibility of online connectivity I would like to suggest that technology enhanced connectivity including email and applications such as Skype can also extend social connectivity when physical boundaries are reduced. One of the papers on the ILC site seems also to promote this idea for the use of online social networks in this context. In a small project I was part of in South Africa I contacted women in the age range 75 - 85 who had gone online late in life to keep contact with dispersed family and friends. This despite their having no prior exposure to computer technology. They used mainly email though one woman also make use of Skype (which includes audio and video connectivity). Her growth in confidence with the use of technology resulted in her writing her family memoirs despite failing vision - this was recently published by her family. One of the ways referred to from the floor at yesterday’s seminar was the use of the telephone to promote social interaction and reduce isolation. With the increasing accessibility of online connectivity I would like to suggest that technology enhanced connectivity including email and applications such as Skype can also extend social connectivity when physical boundaries are reduced. One of the papers on the ILC site seems also to promote this idea for the use of online social networks in this context. In a small project I was part of in South Africa I contacted women in the age range 75 - 85 who had gone online late in life to keep contact with dispersed family and friends. This despite their having no prior exposure to computer technology. They used mainly email though one woman also make use of Skype (which includes audio and video connectivity). Her growth in confidence with the use of technology resulted in her writing her family memoirs despite failing vision - this was recently published by her family.

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