5+ Essential Tech Tools To Stay Connected With Friends And Family 24 7 Technology Help And Education

“One of my siblings has mobility issues, so the weekly calls have become their primary source of connecting,” Silveira says. Services like FaceTime, Zoom and Google Meet offer simple ways to see the people you care about. Video games, particularly those on phones, have soared in popularity for older adults, with more than 50 million older gamers in the United States. Many mobile phone games are social too, with in-game messaging or competition between distant competitors.

Social media use among seniors has steadily trended upwards in the past decade, with Facebook being the most popular platform for older adults. According to a 2024 report from Pew Research Center, 58% of people aged 65 and older have used Facebook at some point. Other platforms like Instagram are less common, but still offer plenty of potential for seniors to stay connected with loved ones.

The feeling, and often reality, of being always connected and always available can sometimes lead to some pretty serious consequences, such as burnout, increased stress, lowered self-esteem, and depression. Among those who have made video calls, about six-in-ten of those ages 18 to 29 say they feel worn out or fatigued from these calls at least sometimes. And about half of those with a bachelor’s or advanced degree report feeling this way at least sometimes, compared with 31% of those with a high school diploma or less. Reported fatigue increases with greater time spent on video calls. Fully 74% of those who have used video calling several times a day during the pandemic say this is the case at least sometimes, including 36% who say they feel worn out or fatigued often. About half or more of those who are on calls less often than this, but at least a few times a week, say the same.

By comparison, about a quarter (26%) of those whose personal lives stayed about the same say they feel less close to these acquaintances now. At the time, about a quarter of Americans said digital encounters would be just as good (27%), and 8% believed that they wouldn’t be of much help. Instant messaging is another digital tool teens use to hang out with each other. Some 79% of teens instant or online message their friends, with about a quarter (27%) doing so every day; 26% do so every few days and 25% do so less often. Virtually all teenagers (95%) say they spend time with friends in person outside of school, but they do not necessarily spend time with them on a daily basis outside of school.

It can feel impossible to go a full day without using technology. Between work and school, scrolling through social media, streaming a show, and keeping up with friends and family, we are constantly connected. Some accounts of the pandemic also raised the question of whether Americans would try to purposefully “unplug” or otherwise manage their screen time, as many children and adults alike spent more time on their devices.

Devices That Make Loved Ones Feel Closer

So, those I choose to have depth with enough to call a friend, I will do the work of keeping in touch with them. At the same time, these moments with friends cast a gently important light across my days. Rather than a side note to my life, messages with friends are its very fabric, the notes, half-thoughts, and jokes that stitch the passing days together. They keep the invisible thread between us intact even as our independent lives carry on and everything else changes. The energy from face-to-face interactions is hard to replicate through a screen. In-person connections offer the chance to engage more deeply, picking up on body language, tone, and emotional cues that simply aren’t the same in a text.

If these strategies don’t fully alleviate your homesickness, try planning in-person reunions, giving yourself something to look forward to. While technology and mail help you stay connected with loved ones, they can’t replace in-person visits. If you’re deciding how to keep in touch with family and friends, consider exchanging care packages.

Using Social Media To Keep In Touch

Some 85% of teens say they spend time with friends by calling them on the phone, and 19% do so every day. But another phone-based activity — text messaging — is done much more frequently. Some 88% of teens use texting to connect with friends (similar to the share that does so via voice call), but more than half (55%) of teens say they text their friends on a daily basis. That makes text messaging — by a substantial margin — the most popular choice for teens’ daily communication with friends. Fully 74% of teen boys say they communicate with friends while playing video games, compared with almost a third (31%) of girls.

In today’s busy world, staying connected with friends is more important than Meetheage platform ever. Despite our hectic schedules, maintaining connection with our loved ones can improve our well-being and keep the bond strong. Here are 12 ways to keep in touch with friends, no matter how busy life gets. Physical letters and gifts carry sentimental value that digital communication can’t quite match.

Second, it reduces “parasocial” relationships, one-sided interactions in which you extend energy and time following someone who has no awareness of your existence (leading to wasted emotional labor for the follower). Thus, being more active in your online engagement may help to safeguard against this issue and increase feelings of connection. As the number of social media sites a teen uses grows, so too does their likelihood of sharing passwords with friends. Among teens who use two or more sites, 23% report sharing a password. By comparison, among those who use less than two social media sites, only 11% have shared a password. Teens who use five or more sites are among the most likely to have shared a password with a friend — 34% have done this.

A digital picture frame is one of the most personal and joyful tech gifts you can give—or receive. It allows family and friends to send photos directly to the frame, so you can enjoy everyday moments, special events, and holiday memories in real time. Cultivating digital closeness requires more than just a Wi-Fi connection; it requires intention and creativity.

Practice good sleep hygiene – create a bedtime routine that includes turning off your screens at least 30 minutes before going to bed, and start this routine at the same time every day. Use this time to wind down – consider reading, journaling, meditating, or light exercise like stretching. “Remain in communication” involves continuing the exchange of information or keeping in touch.

• But, a study found 42% of users want to know who they’re talking to, making some platforms tricky to use.
• While it might seem that older generations find it challenging to keep up to date with technology, more are embracing the internet and becoming tech-literate to bring convenience into their lives as they age.
• Video games, particularly those on phones, have soared in popularity for older adults, with more than 50 million older gamers in the United States.
• Smartphone-using teens are more likely than teens without a smartphone to have made friends online whom they first met through a social media site (39% vs. 28%) or online video games (23% vs. 16%).

Women are slightly more likely than men to say they feel less close to acquaintances, as are Americans with lower incomes compared with those in the upper-income tier. Those who live in urban (57%) or suburban (54%) areas are more likely to say their relationships with casual acquaintances are less close now, compared with those who live in rural areas (46%). Women are also more likely than men to say they have used digital technology or the internet in new and different ways (43% vs. 36%), as are adults under 50 (46%) compared with those who are 50 and older (33%). For some groups, the importance of the internet has grown over the past year – especially when it comes to age and educational attainment.

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National Church Residences support better living for seniors wherever they call home. Discover how we can help seniors maintain their ideal lifestyle and stay connected, whether they want to find the right community for them or need support where they currently live. Staying connected with loved ones doesn’t always have to involve talking to them.

Also, be wary if someone suggests moving the conversation to another platform; they may be trying to avoid moderation and reporting tools. If you decide to meet someone, opt for a public place or a group outing, Nofziger says. And there’s no shame in cutting off a conversation or skipping a meetup that feels off. “It’s better to be skeptical than to lose your money,” she says. After divorcing at age 60 and moving home to Louisville, Kentucky, Lisa Marcellino needed to rebuild her social group. Then she joined The Ethel Circle, a private AARP Facebook group for women interested in healthy aging.

“Keep connected” is used for continuing to have a connection or relationship. “Sustain communication” involves keeping the exchange of information active over time. Never share sensitive information like passwords or other account info.