For any number of reasons, many seniors are socially isolated. Whether it’s an illness that keeps us at home, living in a rural area or having no one living with us, some of us just don’t have as much social interaction as we need. Feeling alone can, unfortunately, lead to depression and increase the risk of dementia.

Oregon Health & Science University conducted a study to determine which of four methods of online communication worked best to protect against loneliness and depression: social messaging, email, video chat or instant messaging. Researchers used information from 1,400 participants over age 60 and followed up with them two years later.

Email, social media, instant messaging and not using online communication all had the same result: They didn’t do anything to fight

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