The Impact of Digital Technologies on the Transnational Aging Experience of Older Hong Kongers

Abstract

Despite significant changes brought about by international migration and global population aging, research on older adults has been primarily focused on proximate care and support networks, overlooking the opportunities available to those affected by migration. Filling these gaps, this article draws on in-depth interviews with 47 older parents (aged 60+) from Hong Kong who are living in transnational family and social contexts to examine how the utilization of digital technologies impacts their daily lives, particularly in relation to transnational aging. Contrary to the conventional assumption that older adults tend to avoid engaging with new technologies, the participants actively embraced digital technologies. This study shows that first, digital technologies can facilitate practical care for older family members across distances, and challenging care for older adults must necessarily be provided in-person. Second, connecting not only with geographically separated families but also with friends is central to the daily lives of older adults from migrant background, and digital technologies enable such social connections. Third, beyond the role that digital technologies play in fostering interpersonal connections among older adults—a point that is emphasized in the transnational family literature—digitalization also contributes significantly to personal life satisfaction for such people. This study contends that obtaining a comprehensive analysis of aging necessitates a thorough understanding of the influence of digitalization, extending beyond the limits of localized contexts.