Various aspects indicate the extreme importance of close interpersonal ties and trusting relationships for quality aging of older adults. The central theme of the master's thesis is therefore the social capital of the elderly through the development of new media technologies. In the master's thesis I focus on researching the opportunities of online social networks in maintaining interpersonal ties of elderly users. I also include some other key concepts in the research, for example the role of warm experts for more effective use of online social networks. Through the analysis of secondary studies of the media habits of the elderly and through thematic analysis of semi-structured in-depth interviews of elderly users of online social networks, I found out how complex the media repertoires of the elderly are. Nevertheless, online social networks represent an important extension of everyday communication practices for maintaining interpersonal ties and relationships with close ones. Above all, they have proven to be an important tool for communication and maintaining social ties when physical interactions are not possible. Through online social networks, elderly users can receive both instrumental and emotional support. When using online social networks, intergenerational solidarity is also demonstrated. The closest family members are very important in the form of informal support. Older adults attach considerable importance to this kind of support, as it instills motivation, a sense of value and security, and at the same time contributes significantly to a more independent and sovereign use of online social networks.
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