The paradoxes and pragmatics of digital leisure in later life

Abstract

In previous studies, older adults (65+) are commonly regarded as a heterogeneous group of technology users who do not utilise digital technologies as frequently or comprehensively as younger age cohorts. There has, however, been less emphasis on how and why digital technologies are used by older adults, especially in terms of their critical attitudes towards digital leisure, which serves as a source of digital, and thereby social, inclusion in later life. In this study we ask (1) what kind of conflicting attitudes and activities, or paradoxes, are there associated with digital leisure in later life and (2) where these paradoxes stem from in the everyday lives of older adults. The qualitative analysis is based on 20 participant-induced elicitation interviews conducted among older Finnish adults in 2018. Drawing from the concept of digital repertoires and our thematic analysis, we conclude that there are discrepancies in how the interviewees viewed their personal involvement with digital leisure and how they engaged with it on daily basis. Our analysis suggests that these discrepancies associated with the use of digital technologies for leisure derive from a strong pragmatic emphasis older adults bestow upon digital leisure, highlighting an instrumental perspective on digital technologies.