Can Skype Help Seniors Beat the Blues?

A study published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found video chatting to be the premier technology for helping seniors combat loneliness and depression, according to U.S. News & World Report . In a review of video chat, email, social media networks, and instant messaging, older men and women who used the last three tools exhibited roughly the same rate of depressive symptoms as those who did not use any communication technologies. However, those who employed video chat applications like Skype and FaceTime cut the estimated probability of depressive symptoms by nearly 50 percent after adjusting for other variables, like pre-existing depression and education level. "The savvy use of technology and video chat that is as close to mimicking face-to-face contact as we can, that is the gold standard here," says Oregon Health and Science University Professor Alan Teo. "Quality time spent face to face with loved ones is one of best things we can do for our emotional health on a long-term, sustained basis."