The Role of Information and Communications Technology in Mitigating Loneliness among Older Adults in Deprived Neighborhoods: Introducing a Digital Lens for Aging in Place

Abstract

Neighborhood deprivation functions as an environmental stress that undermines aging in place by revealing geographic disparities, unmet needs, and resource shortages. Revisiting the context–person framework, this study highlights two components that foster positive aging outcomes—person–context belonging and agency—and examines how information and communications technology (ICT) offers older adults a new form of agency that could mitigate perceived loneliness. Using structural equation modeling on survey data from 364 older adults in Hong Kong, with neighborhood deprivation measured objectively through the Hong Kong index of multiple deprivation (HKIMD) and belonging assessed through perceived social networks and sense of place, this study finds that older adults’ belonging to social networks mediates the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and loneliness. Older adults in deprived neighborhoods often perceive weaker social networks, which intensifies loneliness. ICT use can moderate these effects: Older adults with higher levels of ICT use, even in deprived areas, tend to perceive stronger social networks, which helps reduce loneliness. These findings highlight the growing importance of digital solutions in sustaining social connections and maintaining healthy aging.