Social Media and Older Adults: Connection, Caution, and Communication in the Digital Age
The rise of social media and the widespread use of the internet have created a revolution in how people communicate and interact globally. Because social came of age in the early 2000s (starting with the non-defunct Six Degrees site in 1997 and the Friendster site in 2002), generational differences in usage are stark. Younger people are often referred to as “digital natives” (Prensky, 2001), meaning they have grown up in a digital world where social media communication has been an integral part of their lives throughout development. On the other hand, seniors had to learn to adjust to a new way of communicating and connecting well into adulthood; however, despite this difference, older adults have also embraced social media.
According to a recent Pew Research poll (2024), the majority of people over the age of 65 use social media, with Facebook (59%) and YouTube (65%) being the most popular sites. It is not surprising, given that so much of culture is online, and seniors want to be able to participate. Understanding the benefits and hazards of social media for older adults is essential. While the topic of social media usage among seniors is too complex to provide an exhaustive list, examining the cognitive and social benefits and risks of social media provides a helpful template to initiate a conversation.
In an era that has been defined, in part, by a “loneliness epidemic,” striking numbers of adults report feeling profound loneliness. A recent study found that 21% of adults experience profound loneliness (Batanova et al., 2024), a condition that is not solely related to isolation. Many people report having family around but not feeling connected, appreciated, or essential to them in their lives. For these adults, social media has the potential to provide social support and, even more so, a sense of meaning, purpose, and community. Positive attitudes towards social media have been associated with higher subjective well-being and fewer depressive symptoms (Chopik, 2016). Specifically providing support to access social media to older adults with chronic health issues may be particularly beneficial, as that population tends to be the most socially isolated and reports lower subjective well-being when compared to the general population of older adults.
A recent study, entitled “A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive aging” (Benge & Scullin, 2025), examines the use of digital technology and its relationship to dementia. An existing hypothesis of digital dementia — the prediction that the use of technology will negatively affect cognitive abilities — has been debunked in this study. People who use technology over their lifetime develop what is referred to as a “technological reserve”, meaning that the behaviors associated with using the internet result in a lower risk of cognitive decline.
It is a digital corollary to the idea of supporting people’s cognitive reserves and supporting brain resilience to protect against the development of dementia as they age. Developing cognitive reserves involves enhancing social connections and acquiring new skills, both of which are crucial for maintaining healthy aging. Older adults may become frustrated by the challenges of technology, but in fact, that frustration is evidence that they are “exercising [their] brain.” (Ferguson, 2025). Older adults need to know that their frustration does not mean that they are failing at a task but in fact, succeeding at learning complex tasks and operations that require continuous adaptation and flexibility, which are all good skills that support brain health.
(To better understand developing cognitive reserves to protect against dementia, I recommend reading Greg O’Brien’s book “Life on Pluto” or his numerous interviews. O’ Brien is a journalist with Alzheimer’s who has written and spoken extensively on his experience with the illness.)
Social media can be a double-edged sword, and many of its benefits can be detrimental if used excessively. Addictive social media usage, characterized by a high degree of time and intensity spent on social media, combined with negative issues associated with social media withdrawal, can lead to lower life satisfaction. Encouraging a balance between social media usage and in-person activities can be critically important.
When social media usage becomes difficult, a cascading set of negative issues can arise. If people find social interactions online unsatisfying, they may experience reduced self-regulation and engage in maladaptive behavior online. Seniors can engage in what is termed “doomscrolling,” when they spend hours seeking out harmful and anxiety-provoking information. Doomscrolling is an attempt to manage dread through hypervigilance. So if a senior had a negative experience with an internet community, for example, they may doomscroll to find evidence that the community is angry with them. While it might solve a temporary anxiety, it can lead to feelings of dread and psychological overwhelm. Related to doomscrolling is what David Levy has termed “popcorn brain” (2013), referring to the phenomenon where people rapidly switch between social media sites in a way that becomes incoherent and can overload the brain. People with popcorn brains are so inundated with new information that they do not incorporate short-term memories into long-term memory and struggle with a lack of focus and increased anxiety.
Balancing the risks while supporting the positive aspects of social media is critical. For older adults, encouraging them to engage in some offline activities is essential. For those who are more socially isolated, teaching them mindfulness skills to use at home can be important. Mindfulness skills extend beyond meditation, and teaching people to craft, cook, and garden mindfully can help them achieve balance. Additionally, directing people towards more contemplative online content, such as long-form videos discussing travel or history, may also be helpful. Smaller communities of people may join together to knit, play board games or share written work online via video chat. These types of communities can satisfy the need to have deeper relationships.
Finally, the needs and risks associated with seniors using social media underscore the potential for intergenerational learning, particularly as both older and younger individuals have a great deal to offer each other. In terms of digital usage, older adults have the opportunity to form relationships with younger people through shared activities and interests. Younger people can help older adults better understand the digital landscape. These deepening relationships promote social cohesion and support and can create a more supportive online and inperson community.
Batanova, M, Weissbourd, R & McIntyre (2024), J. Loneliness in America: Just the Tip of the Iceberg. Making Care Common Project. Retrieved from: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b7c56e255b02c683659fe43/t/67001295042a0f327c6e6fab/1728058005340/Loneliness_+Brief+Report+2024_October_FINAL.pdf
Benge, J.F., Scullin, M.K. A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive aging. Nat Hum Behav 9, 1405–1419 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562...
Chopik WJ. (2016) The Benefits of Social Technology Use Among Older Adults Are Mediated by Reduced Loneliness. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. (9):551-6. http://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0151.
Ferguson, A. (2025) Digital Dementia: Does Technology Use by ‘Digital Pioneers’ Correlate to Cognitive Decline? Baylor University News. Retrieved from: https://news.web.baylor.edu/news/story/2025/digital-dementia-does-technology-use-digital-pioneers-correlate-cognitive-decline
Levy, D, (2016). Mindful Tech: How to Bring Balance to Our Digital Lives. Yale University Press
Pew Research Center (2024) Social Media Fact Sheet. Retrieved from:
https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/
Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants part 1. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1–6. https://doi-org/10.1108/10748120110424816