Commentary: For the elderly, a digital divide could quickly become a social one – and that’s worrying
The more elderly folks get left behind in the rapid integration of new technologies into everyday life, the more vulnerable they are to social isolation, says psychiatrist Lim Boon Leng.

File photo of elderly using smartphone in Singapore. (Photo: CNA/Javier Lim)
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SINGAPORE: Some years ago, I was in Melbourne on a tram, absorbed in mapping out my next destination on my phone. The elderly man next to me nudged me and said, with a sigh, “You young people these days - always glued to your phones. No one talks to each other anymore.”
My first instinct was to explain myself. Instead, I chose the simpler path: I put my phone away and struck up a conversation with him.
This encounter isn’t recent, but feels increasingly relevant today.
As Singapore picks up the pace in the global race towards becoming a Smart Nation, immense challenges are coming into sharper focus - particularly for the elderly, a group that now makes up 19.9 per cent of citizens.
Many of us have come to rely heavily on the convenience and efficiency of mobile payments, digital banking, and online services - but not so for members of this growing demographic who struggle with modern technology.
The Infocomm Media Development Authority reported in 2023 that only 45 per cent of seniors are generally willing to try out new technologies, compared with 65 per cent of Singaporeans aged 15 to 59. This makes them more vulnerable to the growing threat of digital isolation.
DIGITAL DIVIDE WORSENING SOCIAL ISOLATION IN THE ELDERLY
According to a National University of Singapore study published in 2021, about 6 per cent of older adults (aged above 60) are socially disconnected. Of this group, 85.6 per cent were living with others.
Social isolation isn’t just a feeling. A 2020 US study found that it’s associated with significant increases in the risk of dementia, heart disease and stroke. Loneliness among heart failure patients is associated with significant increases in the risk of hospitalisation, A&E visits, and death.
Loneliness is also associated with depression and anxiety. Experts cite it as a strong risk factor for suicide.
Singapore has implemented several strategies to combat social isolation among the elderly, including spaces for socialisation, like community centres and senior activity corners, as well as initiatives to encourage intergenerational bonding.
However, these efforts could be undermined as social interactions and day-to-day transactions increasingly shift from the physical to online spaces.
Many of my elderly patients complain that family members and friends increasingly opt for the convenience of a text or video call instead of visiting in person.
Even if their children or grandchildren paid them a visit, they lament, the younger folks would be fixated on their mobile devices. They reminisce about a time when the whole family would talk about their day over meals, or sit around the TV watching the same programme.
Now, with everyone consuming different content on different schedules and in different spaces, it’s harder for them to find common grounds for conversations across generations.
With more services moving online, the physical spaces where the elderly used to interact most with people - markets, banks, post offices - are becoming less central to daily life, exacerbating feelings of alienation and isolation.

WHY DO THE ELDERLY STRUGGLE?
A 2023 study by the Singapore Management University found that while most elderly individuals have smartphones and are happy to use them for leisure, they’re reluctant to rely on them for functional purposes.
Many elderly individuals find the rapid pace of technology’s integration into daily life too intimidating; they worry about making mistakes or damaging their devices. Being unfamiliar with new tech, they also fear falling victim to scams.
Family members also sometimes place restrictions on elderly individuals for their own safety. I’ve told my own elderly mother not to download apps due to the fear of online fraud and phishing threats.
One in 10 older Singaporeans also have health-related difficulty with internet use, found a national survey. Some common conditions that can impede their tech use include joint diseases, or impairments to vision, hearing, or cognitive function.
This year’s SimplyGo saga showed how tough it can be for elders to switch to a different technology. Some elderly commuters were reported expressing discomfort with the inability to view remaining account balances at fare gates and having to perform everyday tasks like topping up card values and checking balances via a new mobile app.
When Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers were digitalised, many elderly also reported struggles with accessing and using them via the online system, RedeemSG.
The elderly also lack adequate support in overcoming the challenges they face in navigating the digital world. Formal resources and training are often insufficient. Younger, tech-savvy family members lack the time, patience or skills to guide older relatives through the complexities of new technologies.
HELPING THE ELDERLY ON ALL FRONTS
Digital isolation is a vicious cycle for the elderly: The more digitally excluded they become and feel, the less likely they are to adopt new tech and digital services as they come.
Government initiatives should continue to prioritise investing in digital literacy training for the elderly, but such programmes need to be accessible and practical, focusing on basic digital skills like safely navigating apps and online transactions.
Grassroots support from community centres and voluntary welfare organisations has been crucial in providing ongoing support and workshops for the elderly, but more can be done.
While senior citizen corners aim to address social isolation, "digital citizen corners" could be established to provide seniors with digital access and guidance. Targeting those living alone as well as digitally isolated individuals living with others would widen the reach of these programmes.
Subsidies are available to make smartphones and internet access more affordable for the elderly, but many seniors remain unaware of these or how to apply for them. Public education campaigns, like road shows, can better inform the elderly and their families about aid avenues like these.
Some elderly may require more personalised assistance or "hand-holding" from community centres or grassroots volunteers to guide them through setting up accounts on various platforms and understanding their usage.
Tech companies can also improve seniors’ digital experiences by creating clear, straightforward interfaces with distinct icons and minimal menu layers. Tasks like making calls or sending messages should require only a few taps.
In-built features such as voice commands and smart prompts that offer step-by-step guidance can also make apps more user-friendly for seniors.
DIGITAL INCLUSIVENESS
The elderly themselves must be open and willing to engage in efforts to help them adapt to digitalisation. To this end, family support can go a long way where external outreach programmes fall short.
In this, we must move away from stigmatising the elderly. For instance, scams are a risk we all face, regardless of age or tech-savvy. Guide our elderly, but give them the space to build their confidence in digital spaces without excessive oversight or control.
In an increasingly digitalised world, ensuring that our elderly are not left behind is only the beginning. Today’s tech-savvy youth will age and may one day find themselves in need of the same support.
By cultivating a national mindset of digital inclusiveness, we can protect our current elderly but also lay the foundation for a future where every Singaporean, regardless of age or other barriers, can confidently navigate the digital future.
Dr Lim Boon Leng is a psychiatrist at the Gleneagles Medical Centre.