A Systematic Review on Technology-Supported Interventions to Improve Old-Age Social Wellbeing: Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Connectedness

Table 2

Technology used in interventions.

Intervention	Technology	Custom or off-the-shelf	Devices	Technology ownership/experience	Training or support
Ballantyne et al. [30]	Social network (About my age)	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Nonproficiency required	Initial training sessions
Blažun et al. [32]	E-mail, Internet, and Skype	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Nonproficiency required	Initial training sessions
Cattan et al. [43]	Phone calls	Off-the-shelf	Telephone	N/A	N/A
Cotten et al. [34]	E-mail, Internet, and Facebook	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Did not report	Initial training sessions
Dodge et al. [44]	Video chat	Custom	Touch-screen computer	No previous use of PC (15%)	Visits for setup; no training
Fokkema and Knipscheer [31]	E-mail and Internet	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Nonproficiency required	Initial training sessions
Garattini et al. [45]	Virtual room, calls, messages, and broadcasts	Custom	Touch-screen computer with phone handset	No computer ownership (68%)	Visits for training and support
Larsson et al. [39]	E-mail, Internet, Facebook, and Skype	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Computer ownership and nonproficiency required	Visits for training and support; remote training
Machesney et al. [40]	Virtual companion (pet avatar)	Custom	Tablet	Did not report	Continuous visits; remote support
Széman et al. [41]	E-mail, Internet, Facebook, and Skype	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Nonproficiency required	Initial training sessions
White et al. [42]	E-mail and Internet	Off-the-shelf	Computer	Owned a PC (9%); no previous experience (60%)	Continuous visits; remote support
Baez et al. [46]	Virtual classroom, messages, and predefined messages	Custom	Tablet	Did not report	Initial training; remote support
Czaja et al. [35]	E-mail, Internet, virtual classroom, and messages	Custom	Computer	Participants had minimal computer or Internet use experience	Initial training; check visits; remote support
Banbury et al. [47]	Skype	Off-the-shelf	Tablet	Most had no previous video conference experience	Visit for setup
Barbosa et al. [48]	Messages (video, photos, audio, and predefined)	Custom	Tablet	Moderate (5), basic (3), or no experience (4)	Initial training; weekly visits for support
Chiu and Wu [33]	Line (messaging service) and YouTube	Off-the-shelf	Tablet	No computer learning experience (82%)	Training sessions (long period)
Gutierrez et al. [36]	Video chat, messages, and photos	Custom	Tablet	First-time as computer user required	Provided by family member
Isaacson et al. [49]	Virtual classroom, video chat, and photos	Custom	TV, remote, and webcam	Many not proficient with smart phones/computers	Visit for setup and training
Jarvis et al. [37]	WhatsApp (messaging service)	Off-the-shelf	Mobile phone (smart phone)	Used mobile to contact family and friends (55%), none had used WhatsApp	Initial training; weekly visits for support
Jarvis et al. [38]	WhatsApp (messaging service)	Off-the-shelf	Mobile phone (smart phone)	N/A	Initial training; weekly visits for support
Morton et al. [50]	E-mail, Internet, Facebook, and Skype	Off-the-shelf	Touch-screen computer	Required no current access to Internet	Continuous visits; remote support
Myhre et al. [51]	Facebook	Off-the-shelf	Computer and tablet	No social network or minimal use required, tablet/computer ownership required	Initial training
Barbosa et al. [52]	Video chat, photos, audio recording, and predefined messages	Custom	Tablet	All participants inexperienced with tech, save one	Initial training; weekly visits for support
Pauly et al. [53]	E-mail, Internet, social network, and messages	Off-the-shelf	Tablet	None or very little experience with portable electronic devices (67%)	Initial training; workshop during intervention
Tomasino et al. [54]	Virtual classroom, messages	Custom	Computer, tablet, mobile phones	Required Internet access and basic Internet skills	Remote support