Growth in Internet Usage During the COVID-19 Pandemic among Older Adults : Findings from Switzerland

Digital solutions (e.g., videocast) to stay in contact have been more prevalently used during the pandemic; however, have older adults—who are often not familiar with modern technologies—used the internet more often during the pandemic? This brief note presents the first findings about the question of growth in internet use among older adults based on two representative surveys in Switzerland. The results showed that among the community-dwelling older adults, 45.7% had increased their internet usage, but only 19.5% among the residents of long-term care facilities had. Social workers should remain aware of the digital divide when working with older adults.