Exploring the use of mobile communications in a retirement home in Toronto: preliminary results

Abstract

This paper describes preliminary results of a qualitative case study on mobile communication conducted in an elders¿ retirement home in Toronto (Ontario, Canada) in May 2012. This is part of an international research project on the relationship between mobile communications and older people. Secondary data at a Canadian level contextualizes the case study. We focus on demographic characteristics and on adoption and use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) broken by age. Participants in the study (21 individuals) are between 75 and 98 years of age, therefore we can consider that the gathered evidence refers to the ¿old¿ older. Mobile phone users in the sample describe very specific uses of the mobile phone, while non-users report not facing external pressures for adopting that technology. The main channel for mediated communication is the landline; in consequences mobile phones ¿when used¿ constitute an extra layer of communication. Finally, when members of the personal network of the individuals live abroad they are more prone to use Internet and Skype. We are also able to find ex-users of both mobile telephony and computers/internet who stopped using these technologies because they did not find any use for them.