Short Wave Screen time is up for grandma and grandpa
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Feb 25, 2026 Ipsit Vahia, Chief of Geriatric Psychiatry at McLean Hospital, brings brief clinical insight into aging and technology. He talks about the surge in screen time among people over 60. He outlines how smartphones serve practical and social needs. He warns about engagement-driven harms like scams and misinformation. He highlights tech benefits like rideshares and VR therapy.
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Older Adults Match Younger Groups In Screen Time
- Older adults now spend as much leisure time on screens as younger groups, largely watching TV or videos.
- Pew Research found people 60+ spend more than half their daily leisure time on screens, and usage rose after the pandemic.
Isolation Drives Smartphone Overuse In Older Adults
- Smartphone overuse in older adults often follows preexisting isolation or family conflict rather than causes it.
- A Chinese study of 371 subjects linked cognitive decline and family conflict to alienation, which predicted smartphone 'addiction.'
Dopamine Keeps People Reaching For Phones
- Phone and social media content are engineered to trigger quick dopamine hits that reinforce repeated checking.
- Dopamine drives reward, so shocking, funny, or exciting content hooks users across ages, creating craving for more.