Old Bonds Never Break: A Scoping Review of Older LGBTQ+ Adults’ Use of Online Technologies for Social Connections During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Online technologies and digital platforms like social media, dating apps, and other sites are popular among people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other gender and sexual minorities (LGBTQ+). During the COVID-19 pandemic, people—especially older adults—relied heavily on these technologies to maintain personal and social connections because of lockdown measures and risks of viral transmission. The purpose of this study was to investigate older LGBTQ+ adults’ experiences with online technologies to form and maintain relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic. Following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping reviews, we searched seven databases and screened potential studies, which yielded seven studies for inclusion. Data was extracted and thematically analyzed, resulting in five themes related to how older LGBTQ+ people used online technologies to maintain personal connections during the pandemic and the benefits of and barriers to incorporating such technologies. Notably, we found that older LGBTQ+ adults were resilient, being willing and able to adapt to sociotechnical challenges during the pandemic. Older LGBTQ+ adults felt an obligation to support other members of the LGBTQ+ community, and feelings of responsibility and solidarity motivated older LGBTQ+ adults to incorporate online technologies into their social practices to care for one another. This scoping review provides directions for future research and offers recommendations for how policymakers, community organizations, and other stakeholders can better serve the technological and social health needs of older LGBTQ+ adults in our post-pandemic world.