Digital technology use among age-friendly community initiatives in the United States

Although studies have established the importance of various types of resources for age-friendly community (AFC) initiatives, there has been little research on digital technologies. This study explored the extent of, and contexts for, digital technology use among AFC initiatives in the United States.

This concurrent mixed-methods study used data from AARP's 2024 Survey of the National Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities (NAFSC) (N = 200) alongside qualitative interviews with 13 communities that reported in the survey relatively high levels or novel types of digital technology use.

Over 90% of survey respondents indicated using at least one technology, the most common being online survey platforms (65%), social media (64%), cloud-based video conferencing (57%), organizational websites (56%), and collaborative file sharing (54%). Initiatives later into the NAFSC program cycle, led by nonprofits or higher education, and with more sources of support, reported using a greater variety of tools. The qualitative analysis identified human capital, alongside the digital infrastructure and financial capital of collaborating organizations, as conditions for technology use and access. Shifting initiative circumstances, as well as perceptions of older adults' digital capacities and preferences, also influenced technology use.

Our findings support digital capital as a central component of the development and implementation of AFC initiatives in the context of organizational, network, and community conditions. We discuss how findings can guide future research to enhance the strategic use of technology toward greater AFC impact.