Eighty percent of Chinese elderly citizens said they are willing to overcome challenges in smartphone use, according to a survey report on seniors’ ability to adapt to the digital era.

A senior citizen learns to use smartphone in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province on Jan. 12, 2021. (Xinhua/Chen Zeguo)

About 70 percent of the nearly 10,000 elderly respondents taught themselves how to use mobile phone to surf the internet, said the report jointly issued by Renmin University of China and Chinese digital payment platform Alipay on Feb. 8.

Senior people use their smartphones to read news, chat and make video calls, so as to relieve their loneliness, the report said.

More than 70 percent of the surveyed elderly people expected training courses for them to learn relevant skills, while over 60 percent said they became happier with a smartphone, with some of them saying that they now prefer to chat with friends on messaging apps instead of making phone calls.

The elderly have a stronger demand for digital services under regular COVID-19 epidemic control, as they need to stay updated with the latest information about the epidemic and keep in contact with their family members, the report said.

The report also noted that some respondents had learned how to use online grocery delivery apps during the epidemic.