Computer use among seniors 80 years and older : narrative inquiry on the benefits and problems

TL;DRAbstract

This thesis examines the role of computer competence in elders’ well-being as they experience a
\nreduced ability to communicate in very old age. My research question was “How do elders over
\n80 interact with computers? Employing narrative inquiry, I sought stories from 10 elders living
\nin Victoria, B.C. Narrative style open-ended interviews were conducted one on one. Challenging
\nstereotypes, these participants were computer literate people who happen to be very old.
\nDepending on their relationships, learning from their children was a valuable resource. I found
\nno evidence that they required any special senior friendly websites. These elders learned to use
\nwhat interested them on the computer—no more. The computer is an extension of their ability to
\ncommunicate their social messages as they age. The denouement of my narrative research is that
\ncomputers give voice to elders; nevertheless, decision makers need to respect elders’ right to

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