Facebook and Greek Retirees' Relationships: A study on how Facebook usage affects Greek older adults’ social bonds

By applying the ethnographic method and drawing from the theoretical framework of social capital, this study sought to explore how the social relationships of Greek retirees are affected by their Facebook usage. It also aimed to investigate how the social medium is integrated into their day-to-day lives. This research was motivated by the increasing number of older adults using Facebook globally over the past years and the need to address this phenomenon in a qualitative way. Through the use of diaries, in-depth interviews, a focus group and participant observation of 34 Greek retirees in the context of their everyday lives, the results have shown that their bonds benefit in multiple ways from their Facebook employment. Their closest relationships, as well as their less intimate ones, are strengthened by both their offline and online interactions related to the platform. As the world’s population grows older now more than ever and older adults’ presence in social media is on the rise, studies like the one at hand can offer insights towards a better understanding of these emerging dynamics and the unique association between later life and technology