Digital agency and daily life challenges: Older Chinese migrants’ differentiated use of digital tools

This study examined the use of technology for daily life challenges by older Chinese migrants (n = 18) with very limited English proficiency in Auckland, New Zealand. The aim of this study was to build on the theory of digital agency to understand how older migrants’ use technological tools to combat daily challenges and enhance their well-being. Employing a combination of questionnaires, interviews, and go-alongs, we identified language barriers and limited social mobility as central challenges in older migrants’ daily life, and we identified three types of digital technology that the older migrants engaged with as their daily life digital choices: digital translators for language challenges, digital navigators for social mobility, and digital media platforms for individual leisure to alleviate loneliness and gather information. The older Chinese migrants developed their digital agency to cope with challenges and respond to their daily needs, which also enhanced their social and psychological well-being. We also identified digital disengagement, which can lead to social isolation and impact social well-being. We discuss the difficulties they experienced in using these technological tools and provide recommendations for supporting older migrants to develop the skills needed to use technology in their daily lives.