Using video chat might reduce symptoms of depression in elderly people, the John Tung Foundation said, citing a study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry last year.
Elderly people who use video chat, such as Skype or Facetime, report approximately half the rate of symptoms of depression compared with non-users and those who only use non-video communication technologies.
The participants in the study were 1,424 elderly adults in the US with an average age of 64.8, who were chosen from participants in a separate study on health and retirement conducted from 2012 to 2014.
Photo: Screen grab from Line
The two-year follow-up study was conducted to examine whether there is a link between the use of four communication technologies — e-mail, social media, video chat and instant messaging — and depressive symptoms.
A local survey suggested that more than half of elderly people have used social messaging app Line, the foundation said, adding that another survey published last year by the Active Aging Association of Taiwan showed that 51.5 percent of elderly people use the Internet for one to four hours per day.
The Geriatric Psychiatry study reinforced the concept that “social participation” can help reduce depression, said Tsai Chia-fen (蔡佳芬), an attending physician in the Department of Psychiatry at Taipei Veterans General Hospital.
Reducing feelings of loneliness and boosting human interaction can prevent depression among elderly people, Tsai said.
While delivering meals to elderly people in communities helps reduce symptoms of depression, as it helps send a message that they are cared for, new technology provides more ways to interact with people, she said.
People should not only send messages to elderly family members living far away, but make phone calls or use video chat to communicate with them regularly, she said.
Compared with e-mails and instant messaging, video chat allows expressions and body language to be conveyed, which makes people feel that the communication is more real and intimate, Tsai said.
However, some people might require help with the technology.
Family members should set up an elderly family member’s smart phone or tablet, download a video chat app and even set up an account before teaching them how to use the technology, John Tung Mental Health Center director Yeh Ya-hsing (葉雅馨) said.
People should be patient with elderly family members, as they might respond more slowly or have diminished acuity due to their age, Yeh said, adding that encouraging them and calling them regularly would help them become familiar with video chat.
It might even help them stay connected with other family members and friends, she said.
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