Staying connected: Exploring mobile phone use amongst older adults in the UK

In this paper we examine the ways in which mobile phones are becoming integrated into the everyday life of older adults in the UK by drawing on research funded as part of the British New Dynamics of Ageing programme. Specifically we draw on a digital engagement survey and the life history narratives of older men and women resident in the East Midlands of England to illuminate the challenges of remaining digitally engaged in old age focusing specifically on mobile phone use, with particular reference to maintaining social connections with spatially dispersed family and friends. Growing numbers of older adults possess a mobile phone, but the degree to which mobile phone use has been integrated into everyday practices is variable. For episodic users a mobile phone is used to complement a landline, to keep in touch with family and friends when out of the house. For confident users the mobile phone is used in multiple ways, via a range of applications, it is an integral part of numerous aspects of everyday life.