The phrase "screen time" doesn't necessarily evoke positive connotations.
In fact, warnings about screen time abound, with parents urged to keep kids of all ages off devices and health advocates even suggesting that adults limit their time staring at phones, computers, tablets, and TVs.
When it comes to older or retired adults online, there are legitimate worries, from scams designed to steal your retirement savings to romance catfishing on dating sites. As with almost any technology, however, there are downsides and, happily, benefits.
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Could screen time be good for people 50 and over?
Research published in Nature Human Behaviour suggests that when older adults use technology, they can enjoy significant health benefits. In fact, regular device use could play a key role in reducing the chances of dementia or general cognitive decline.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin and Baylor University teamed up to conduct a large-scale meta-analysis of 57 prior studies that included over 411,000 adults aged 50 or older.
The goal was to examine the "digital dementia hypothesis," which posits that a lifetime of exposure to technology has compromised the cognitive abilities of this cohort. Testing this theory is an especially pressing issue, given that "the first generation who engaged with digital technologies has reached the age where risks of dementia emerge."
Surprisingly, though, the new research suggests this hypothesis is false. In fact, not only did engaging with technology not increase dementia risks — it had a significant positive impact on the brain health of study participants.
Using digital devices was actually found to decrease the risk of cognitive impairment by as much as 58%. This benefit was astonishing, conferring a more significant decrease than reducing blood pressure (13%), receiving higher education (47%), or playing brain games (31%).
The positive changes caused by device use were observed in individuals aged 50 to 65, as well as in those 65 and older. The impact of device use on the brain was strong, both when reviewing studies that covered a short time window and when examining multi-year studies.
This correlation between technology use and improved brain health also existed even after accounting for other potential factors, including each person's financial status, overall health, background, and lifestyle factors.
Why does technology help preserve cognitive function?
Researchers offered several possible explanations for why screen time may actually be good for older adults. Specifically, engaging with technology may:
- Promote problem-solving
- Encourage thinking
- Challenge the mind with new learning
- Facilitate social connections
Collectively, these benefits may help establish a "technological reserve" that enables the brain to resist damage better and form multiple pathways, thereby withstanding age-related decline.
Technology can also establish a "digital scaffold" or help older Americans create digital systems that support them as they age by providing important reminders. This could include alerts to take medication on time or to pay bills by their due date, or automatically. These reminders could help older people to remain independent for longer, as their device serves as a virtual assistant.
When considering all these potential advantages, the idea of increased screen time as a boon to health rather than a detriment doesn't seem so out of bounds.
“Our data suggests encouraging older adults to engage with technology, particularly in a manner that helps challenge, connect and compensate for cognitive problems, could be a powerful approach to promoting cognitive health,” Jared Benge, Ph.D., board-certified neuropsychologist and study co-author, said.
While researchers are not certain if the finding will hold when studying younger generations who were exposed to tech devices at much earlier ages than this current cohort, the clear positive correlation between device use and good brain health is excellent news for older Americans who now have a great excuse to spend time on their favorite devices. It's good for their health.
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