Communication Strategic through Social Network in preparing for the aging society

Abstract

The objectives of this qualitative study were threefold: to examine public sectors’ policies and concepts of health communication with older persons via social media, determine issues of health communication with older personal via social media, and to explore the older persons’ media exposure to health news via social media. According to the examination of public sectors’ policies, the government was found to support and develop its older persons through the integration of 4 related principles: 1. prevention, restoration, and development of older persons’ health system, 2. a retirement saving campaign launched to encourage healthy older persons to be employed and work freelance, 3. provision of public transport and settings for convenient and safe access by older persons, and 4. provision of education to help older persons develop new media and technology literacy so that they can be exposed to social media news coverage with awareness and without being vulnerable to digital crimes. The investigation of social network indicated that to promote older persons’ media literacy, mass media should provide reliable news and increase the quantity of verified news content as much as possible. This is because the more trusted news, the less fake ones. Importantly, public sectors have to determine each news issue in compliance. This can help mass media become so interested that the information can be disseminated to the public. Based on the findings obtained from the older persons themselves, it was suggested that public sectors should set up a core establishment, so called One Stop Service Oldie, which unites care and development for older persons in particular. This can promote extensive operation allowing them to easily access information on health, environment, income, and new technology. Moreover, this One Stop Service Oldie expected to look after older persons more directly than individual organizations.