How to Use Social Media and Smartphones Safely as an Older Adult
David Seagraves, 91, saw Lauren Maloney, resident engagement coordinator, working on her laptop at his senior living community 10 Wilmington Place in Dayton, Ohio. He had just one question: “Do you know anything about YouTube?” Luckily, she did and was happy to help.
“David wanted to share some teachings of his faith with people he used to know and create a legacy for when he was no longer with us, so I helped him figure out how to make that happen by showing him how to record videos and upload them to YouTube,” Maloney said. “This was the start of something great.”
Today, the results of his project live in a YouTube series he calls “What You Didn’t Learn in Sunday School.” He wasn’t out to go viral. Instead, Maloney explained, “It gave him the ability to share his experiences with his faith with a generation that doesn’t look for articles but more videos and engaging media. He felt he was better able to connect with the youth of today using this medium.”
Maloney and Seagraves’ story is just one of many instances where social media can help older adults find purpose, reach and their creative spirit. But of course, it isn’t always easy. Maloney said one drawback for some seniors is they struggle with the step-by-step instructions to use social media and smartphones, resulting in them feeling “behind in understanding.”
The pros and cons of social media and smartphones for seniors are becoming more well-researched. A 2025 study found that internet use is associated with better cognitive function and greater social participation. Another recent study found that increased social internet use actually decreased feelings of loneliness in older adults.
But, it’s a fine line between social media helping with loneliness and increasing it. Additional studies show that the type of interaction with social media can have an impact, with passive scrolling leading to higher levels of loneliness. A person’s personality and shyness level can also determine how social media and loneliness affect them.
Finally, as was the case with Maloney and Seagraves, a 2024 study found that a caregiver’s use of technology has a direct impact on the care recipient’s use of technology. So, an older adult’s experience with social media and smartphones might just have more to do with the teacher and their interaction than just the tech itself.
Benefits of Social Media and Smartphones for Seniors
For seniors who can’t easily visit loved ones far away, staying up to date with their lives on social media, or using smartphones to message or FaceTime, has immeasurable benefits. Tommy Wood, PhD, is a neuroscientist and associate professor at the University of Washington, where he studies brain health across the human lifespan. The author of “The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age,” Dr. Wood often weighs in on the benefits of social media and smartphones.
Whether it’s Facebook or gardening, learning a new skill has positive effects on aging brains and drives neuroplasticity, Dr. Wood said. “Studies have shown that learning new skills—including how to use an iPad—can improve aspects of cognitive function in older adults. This is then reflected in population data showing that technology use can be beneficial for the aging brain.”
He pointed to a recent meta-analysis of more than 400,000 older adults that found that greater technology use was associated with a slower rate of cognitive decline and a lower risk of dementia.
The gap between what you want to learn to do and what you can currently do creates a type of tension in the brain that drives learning, he said. It’s also why mistakes with tech aren’t necessarily a bad thing—it’s where cognitive function improvements happen.
“Rather than thinking we’re too old to learn a new technology or skill, we should embrace the fact that the act of learning helps to keep the brain young, even if it’s frustrating,” Dr. Wood said.
Areas of Caution
Social media and smartphones come with real risks to well-being, finances and security. As with anyone who needs a caregiver, seniors’ caregivers should be familiar with their tech use and be able to advise and recommend safety precautions. A few things to watch out for:
Relying on social media as a primary, not secondary, form of connection.
“There’s a big difference between using online platforms to provide a new method of communication—where you’re more likely to expect benefit because of the net increase in social contact—and a reliance on social media as a primary form of social connection,” Dr. Wood said. “So, for aging brains, it will really depend on what other social contacts they have and [how] social media is being used.”
For example, he said, if social media is used to directly communicate with others, that can be positive, as can passively consuming content, but if it starts to replace healthy social contacts, it becomes negative.
Avoiding costly subscriptions.
Browsing the app store’s list of games can feel like being a kid in a candy shop—but it can come with a price. It might start out free but then lead to an unexpected $29.99 subscription every month after the first month. From photo editing to Candy Crush, these small expenditures can add up if not carefully monitored.
Seniors might need guidance when it comes to navigating signing up for free trials, whether it’s games or additional apps on a smartphone. Older adults, with family members or caregivers, can do a monthly audit of their subscriptions to see how they are really spending their money and to become empowered to choose what’s worth keeping or canceling.
Scams are getting more elaborate on social media and smartphones, from recent reports of CAPTCHA scams, in which bad actors try to download malware on devices, to other aggressive forms of identity theft.
“Whether it be calls on their cellphones, ads on Facebook, or text messages claiming to sell a ‘cure-all’ fake medicine, when a resident may get into this, I always remind them that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Maloney said. “But I also let them know that even people my age fall for these and they are designed to draw you in.”
Seniors can call AARP’s scam and fraud line if they suspect an issue, and they can read AARP’s resources about what scams are happening now. Amy Nofziger, the director of the scam line, told The New York Times that scammers target older adults because they simply might have more money to take.
Engaging with ads, arguments or other risky posts.
It can be hard for seniors—or anyone—to distinguish between an ad, a post from a friend, and a tricky post on social media, including those that land you somewhere you didn’t mean to go online. Seniors and caregivers can learn and share basic rules together to identify these risky posts and clicks.
Caregivers and family members can also teach and underscore to seniors not to click on anything they aren’t sure about and not to argue—or overshare about their life and family— with anyone on social media. This can help preserve their privacy and security. In addition, caregivers can help ensure accounts are on private settings before seniors start using them to engage with others.
Other tips that are good for all of us: Use strong passwords, keep your devices and apps updated, don’t click on links from unfamiliar people, and don’t use unsecured Wi-Fi (like in airports, train stations, stores or coffee shops) for sensitive personal business, such as banking or bill paying.
While smartphones, the internet and social media carry the potential for extensive benefits for seniors, they also have significant risks—to their wallet, mental health and overall wellness. With a caregiver or trusted friend willing to patiently teach them and help them explore the digital world, older adults can reap the benefits of connectivity, while even having a bit of fun—safely.
