Intergenerational Communication

Communication between people of different generations, particularly between older adults and younger family members or caregivers, which can be complicated by differing expectations, technology literacy levels, and communication styles. In accessibility and aging contexts, intergenerational communication gaps can undermine assistive technology adoption — for example, older adults may prefer longer, more formal exchanges while younger family members expect rapid, informal responses. When technology mediates family communication, mismatched expectations about response time, message depth, and platform etiquette can paradoxically increase social isolation rather than reduce it. Effective intergenerational communication technology must account for differences in digital literacy, physical ability to interact with devices, preferred communication modalities (voice vs. text vs. video), and cultural norms around frequency and formality of contact.