Kin and Clicks. The Association Between Family Relations and Older Adults’ Digital Technology Use

Background and Objectives: Ageing and digitalization have become two global megatrends. Still, limited research has explored the role played by family relations in influencing older people’s digitalization. We examine associations betwee t having a partner, children and grandchildren and older adults’ digital technology use. We also consider geographical proximity and contact frequency with children.Research Design and Methods: We leveraged data from wave eight of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and the drop-off questionnaire administered to the Swiss sample in 2021 (N=1,412). We estimated various logit models and calculated predicted probabilities of frequent digital technology use as a function of several aspects of family relations.Results: Overall, having children and grandchildren was positively associated with certain forms of digital engagement, such as reading social media posts and making video calls. However, having a larger number of children or grandchildren was in some cases negatively associated with the use of more complex devices, such as portable or desktop computers. Being widowed or divorced was consistently linked to greater use of several digital technologies, compared to those who had never been married. Finally, having frequent contact with geographically close children was negatively associated with portable computer use, suggesting that close familial support may reduce the need for independent digital engagement.Discussion and Implications: The results showed complex associations between family relations and older people’s digital technology use. The findings may help stakeholders design services that are in line with older users’ backgrounds and expertise.