Objective.

This study sought to analyze the role of technological participation of the elderly in Chile in relation to geriatric depression and social isolation.

Method.

A non-experimental and correlational study was conducted in which the geriatric depression scale (GDS-15), the Lubben social network scale (LSNS-6) and a battery of questions to measure technological participation were applied in a sample of 149 elderly people from central-southern Chile.

Results.

The results indicate the existence of a positive correlation between technological participation and perception of social support networks, particularly friendship networks, as well as a negative correlation with geriatric depression. Older people who use the Internet have lower levels of depression and a lower risk of social isolation.

Conclusion.

Technologi cal participation facilitates the preservation of social ties and promotes the autonomy of the elderly, having a positive impact on the indicators of depression and isolation. However, technological participation represents a challenge for public policies due to the gaps that are manifested based on the sociocultural profile and age of the users.

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