review · Digital Health
Digital technologies such as social media, pet robots, smart homes, and artificial intelligence play a growing role in the lives of older adults. For older immigrants and refugees, who frequently experience migration-associated stress, loneliness, and psychosocial difficulties, these tools offer substantial benefits. A review of fifteen empirical studies demonstrates that digital technology supports overall well-being and quality of life. Specifically, it enables users to maintain existing relationships, establish new social support systems, access practical opportunities, connect with their cultural roots, and manage stress through electronic leisure activities. Despite these advantages, the literature identifies low rates of adoption, indicating that substantial barriers hinder access for these groups. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions, including educational initiatives, to promote safer access and broader utilisation among older migrant communities.
Older refugees and immigrants often experience isolation and significant emotional strain following migration. Understanding how digital tools alleviate loneliness and maintain cultural bonds highlights a clear avenue for social support. Recognising persistent barriers to digital adoption is critical for designing targeted educational programmes and public services that ensure older migrant populations are not excluded from modern communication and care systems.
This work is an early-stage evidence synthesis that provides design insights for developers of assistive technology, digital leisure platforms, and social tools tailored to older diverse demographics. Potential applications include accessible social connection tools, multilingual interfaces, and digital literacy training programmes. However, because the review synthesises literature rather than testing a specific product or service, direct commercial applications remain at an early, conceptual stage.
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Background: The fast-paced development of digital technologies in the areas of social media, pet robots, smart homes, and artificial intelligence, among others, profoundly influence the daily lives of older adults. Digital technology can improve the well-being and quality of life of older adults, older immigrants and refugees who suffer migration-associated stress, loneliness, health and psychosocial challenges. Aims: The aim of this scoping review is to map out extant empirical literature that has examined the implication of digital technology among older refugees and immigrants. Methods: before the full-text review. The comprehensive database search yielded 4134 articles, of which 15 met the inclusion criteria. Results: The results of the review suggest that digital technology is essential to the well-being, quality of life of older immigrants and refugees, especially for maintaining and building new social support networks, navigating opportunities, coping with migration-induced stress through e-leisure, and staying connected to their culture. The literature also revealed poor utilisation of digital technologies amongst older immigrants and refugees, suggesting barriers to access. Conclusion: The study concluded by highlighting the need for more research and interventions that focus on multiple strategies, including education for increased access to and utilisation of digital technology to ensure that more older migrants can benefit from the advantages of digital technology in a safe way.
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DOI: 10.1177/20552076231194947
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