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Background: Technology use has become the most critical approach to maintaining social connectedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Older adults (aged> 65 years) are perceived as the most physiologically susceptible population to developing COVID-19 and are at risk of secondary mental health challenges related to the social isolation that has been imposed by virus containment strategies. To mitigate concerns regarding sampling bias, we analyzed a random sample of older adults to understand the uptake and acceptance of technologies that support socialization during the pandemic.

Objective: We aimed to conduct a population-based assessment of the barriers and facilitators to engaging in the use of technology for web-based socialization among older adults in the Canadian province of British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based, regionally representative survey by using the random-digit dialing method to reach participants aged> 65 years who live in British Columbia. Data were analyzed using SPSS (IBM Corporation), and open-text responses were analyzed via thematic analysis.

Results: Respondents included 400 older adults aged an average of 72 years, and 63.7%(n= 255) of respondents were female. Most respondents (n= 358, 89.5%) were aware of how to use technology to connect with others, and slightly more than half of the respondents (n= 224, 56%) reported that, since the beginning of the pandemic, they used technology differently to connect with others during the pandemic. Additionally, 55.9%(n= 223) of respondents reported that they adopted new …