Promoting independence in older persons through the internet.

New communication technologies provide hope for promoting independence in older persons. Today the Internet provides opportunities to socialize with others, participate in educational and spiritual activities, and assist with some of the instrumental activities of daily living. This is important in terms of quality of life for older persons as well as reducing expenditures for long-term care. This article discusses the growth in use of the Internet by the elderly and evaluates its ability to meet both various general needs of the population as well as needs specific to older persons.