Investigating the Experience of the Elderly on Social Media Using Thematic Analysis Approach

The rapid growth of the world’s elderly population has doubled the importance of studies on aging. Also, the relationship between online social media and the daily lives of different groups of citizens has been a topic of interest for researchers. The purpose of this study is in-depth investigation of the experiences of the elderly in using online social networks and the meanings and feelings resulting from the use of such networks. Understanding, describing and interpreting the experience of the elderly in social studies is possible using qualitative methods. Therefore, in this study, thematic analysis has been selected for designing, collecting and analyzing the data. Ten elderly people were selected through purposive sampling for the interview. Concepts and categories were identified in three axes: 1- motivations for using online social networks (computer and internet using skills, job requirements, migration of the family members, not lagging behind others, pervasiveness, and the efficiency of smartphones), 2- reasons for continuing to use them (lower physical strength and more free time, maintaining communication, and following news and information as hobbies) and 3- meanings and experiences of social networks (positive feeling, negative feeling, worry, dependency, self-control, and charity affairs).