Connected Seniors: Technology across the Life Course

The present session invites papers investigating the uses and social consequences of technologies such as wearables, apps, communication technologies, mobile devices, and social media in the lives of older adults. We invite empirical and theoretical work that explores different dimensions of how older adults integrate these technologies into their everyday life patterns and rhythms. The session focuses on the opportunities provided to older adults from using technology and the ways in which technologies can increase well-being, social connectedness and health. The session also welcomes critical analysis of technology use by older adults. These critical papers can address questions around ageism related to technology adoption as well as topics such as what can older adults teach younger generations about technology use? Through the session we hope to gain a better understanding of the complexities of aging and the intersection with wearables, apps, and social media by looking at diverse data sets and drawing conclusions across studies, cultures, and tools. Papers can include quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods approaches as well as theoretical investigations. We welcome papers in English and Spanish as well as papers that take a decolonizing approach.