Facebook and the elderly: The importance of social software in lifelong learning

This communication falls within the scope of a case study of a qualitative nature, carried out in a computer class at the Senior University Castelo Branco (USALBI) during the academic year 2010/2011, aiming to understand the role of Facebook in promoting active aging. In general, this study consisted of elderly non-participant observation of classroom computer, in semi-structured interviews for the elderly and teacher of computer science and in the application of a scale based on chronological exploration features of Facebook. The results of this study revealed that the Facebook is a social network digital extended to all ages, is a digital tool that promotes socialization, combat isolation, also contributing to lifelong learning, allowing you to create conditions for the elderly may have a more suitable active aging.