Connect Elderly to Other Generations Through iTV: Evaluating Notifications' Potential

ABSTRACT

Television is among the preferred technological devices of the elderly due to their familiarity with its simple interface and because it acts as a sort of companion, being this especially relevant for those living alone. This phenomenon was particularly observed during the social isolation resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. In the most critical period of the health crisis, the consumption of television content among older people and the adoption of other digital solutions aimed at entertainment or social interaction increased significantly. At the same time, technological advances in the television ecosystem have made it possible to include resources capable of making the gadget increasingly interactive and friendly. An example is the use of notifications, a mechanism that consists in displaying messages on the device's screen, engaging users to a specific topic. TV notifications can act as an information-focused tool with the potential to promote the connection of seniors with their family or friends. In the aforementioned context, the objective of this paper is to identify how TV notifications can contribute to reduce the rates of social isolation among the elderly, offering new forms of interaction with society. For, initially, a literature review was carried out to allow contextualizing the problem. Studies conducted in this field were evaluated to identify whether the television ecosystem would be able to enhance human relationship. These studies supported the construction of a questionnaire focused on identifying the habits of the elderly in relation to the adoption of technological devices, the consumption of television content and the acceptance of notifications in this context. Therefore, this study provides evidence that notifications can connect generations, being an important mechanism to reduce the rates of loneliness among older individuals. © 2022, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.