g2gConnect, a new company investigating intergenerational communication patterns, just released a study on how Generations X, Y and Z (20-45) and boomers communicate with their older relatives, looking at frequency of visits, phone calls, email and video chat. Multiple studies have suggested that easier visual connectivity via video chat may help older adults feel less isolated, and reduce stress on younger family members as they are the ones usually initiating contact via phone or in-person visit. (Certainly this is a feature of systems such as GrandCare and Waldo Health.) While video chats with older relatives are attempted by 38% of the Gen X/Y/Z group and 15% of the boomers (who have proportionately more ‘old old’ family), results are not encouraging in that video chat (Skype) is still too complex even for the younger cohort of older adults (with Gen X-Z relatives) and those who are online primarily for email. Being a low N study, it’s directional, but it points to a telecom and tech opportunity to make video chat a lot easier for the older adult group. Hat tip to Serge Kogan of g2gC. Are telecom giants paying attention to calling patterns…? (link to PDF)
3 thoughts on “Using video chat to stay connected with older relatives”
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I reviewed a study conducted in Europe that appeared to be suggesting that video chat through TV sets might help reduce complexity and be conducive to lowering the barrier to adoption.
Can you give us some more information? Thanks.
The study is published in Finnish so it isn’t very helpful here albeit I know the language. I am trying to locate an abstract or executive summary in English.