Impacts of IT use on older adults’ psychological well-being before and during COVID-19

Older adults are a social group who are more vulnerable to various physical and psychosocial issues. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an inevitable surge in the use of digital technologies due to social distancing norms, and this trend is expected to continue in the post-pandemic period. It is generally believed that information technology (IT) can help vulnerable older adults by enabling communication and services that they may not be able to access in person. However, conflicting findings have been reported regarding IT’s role in enabling the well-being of older adults. Thus, this research seeks to address this ambiguity by comparing the impact of IT use on well-being of older adults before and during COVID-19. This research has potential to contribute to both aging and information systems research by shedding light on the impacts of IT use on older adults’ well-being.