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The Role of WeChat in Supporting Elderly Connectivity During COVID-19 Lockdown in Guangzhou

Authors :
Zhao Zifeng
Source :
SHS Web of Conferences, Vol 187, p 04013 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
EDP Sciences, 2024.

Abstract

This research investigates the motivations and impacts of WeChat usage among older adults in Guangzhou during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Through qualitative interviews, this study explores how older adults in Guangzhou emotionally experience WeChat use during the lockdown. Findings indicate that WeChat played a vital role during the pandemic, facilitating emotional connections, daily life needs, information access, and positive psychological development among older adults. It fostered socialization, emotional support, and resilience, challenging conventional notions of elderly social media usage and highlighting diverse technological habits. Theoretical implications emphasize WeChat’s multi-functionality and the varied ways older individuals employ it. Practical implications stress the importance of social media in enhancing social participation and quality of life for older adults, especially in combating loneliness. WeChat’s utility during emergencies, like epidemics, is underscored. Addressing the digital divide and ensuring equitable digital access are crucial to preventing older individuals’ marginalization in the digital age. The study acknowledges limitations, including a small sample size and focus on a specific urban area. Future research directions involve expanding the sample, employing quantitative methods, enhancing sample representativeness, and examining diverse regions and demographics. Ongoing studies can capture evolving usage patterns and experiences of older adults in a changing technological and societal landscape.

Subjects

Subjects :
Social Sciences

Details

Language :
English, French
ISSN :
22612424
Volume :
187
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
SHS Web of Conferences
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.8a26a986ece847a3aef7b62fe2828349
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202418704013