Internet use and contacts with children among older Europeans

Contacts with children represent one of the most important sources of support for older individuals. By using panel data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), I investigate to what extent use of the Internet is related to the frequency of contacts with children, especially those living at a distance. Asymmetric fixed effects panel models and ordered logistic regression models show a significant positive relationship between using the Internet and frequency of contacts both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. These results point to the importance of digital contacts to strengthen intergenerational relationships and are especially relevant in the context of the pandemic and of increasing geographical mobility