Internet Usage Among Senior Citizens During Covid - 19

Abstract

Senior citizens are an emerging population and with the recent spike of Covid-19, there is a need to minimize the digital divide among senior citizens to enable them to fully utilize the Internet for their needs. The Malay Mail Online on 24 September 2021 claimed senior citizens who are not fully equipped to conduct their lives online may be left behind when life in Malaysia has turned digital due to COVID-19 as education and support for the elderly is truly lacking. This research aims to identify senior citizens' Internet usage and perspective on their use of the Internet during the pandemic in Malaysia, to provide effective strategies to educate them in better use the Internet. The data are collected through interview with 10 participants. The questions were designed to collect data regarding participant's demographic profiles and information on Internet usage among senior citizens during Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the interview data to answer the research question and achieve the objective of this research. The findings of a high frequency of Internet usage through mobile devices for work and personal purposes have contributed to the knowledge on Internet usage among senior citizens and further educates senior citizens to enjoy the benefits of using the Internet during these trying times.