Abstract
The emphasis of this chapter is on social interaction, with a particular focus on one sector of society, namely seniors. Around the world there is an emphasis on helping people to age well, to enjoy old age and be productive in retirement. One way that this can be aided is by helping seniors make new connections with their peers, helping them to contribute in meaningful ways to society, and giving them a feeling of belonging and purpose. The social capital depicted by the strength of informal social networks in regional communities has been described as the glue that holds aged care communities together (Sappey, Bone, and Duncan, 2007). Virtual social networks can be a significant tool in making use of such social capital. This is a case study about one such network, called GreyPath.com.au.
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Burmeister, O.K. (2009). What Users of Virtual Social Networks Value about Social Interaction: The Case of GreyPath. In: Panteli, N. (eds) Virtual Social Networks. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230250888_7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230250888_7
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