Online engagement of LGBTQ+ internet users aged 50 and older: implications for successful ageing, wellbeing, and healthcare practice

Ojectives To examine the experiences of older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus (LGBTQ+) internet users engaging with online spaces. This study explores the internet’s implications for supporting the health and wellbeing of older LGBTQ+ adults, in the context of the cohort’s distinct challenges in successful ageing and heightened levels of social isolation.Methods LGBTQ+ internet users aged 50 and older (n = 16; Mean = 60.3 years, sd = 7.5) completed online qualitative surveys, which were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results Three themes were generated: Infrastructure for Tangible Connections, highlighting the centrality and usefulness of online spaces for social and community engagement; Awareness, Value, and Vigilance, exploring practical uses of the internet and exposure to harmful rhetoric; Community Trailblazers and Protectors, encompassing participants’ roles as LGBTQ+ community mentors, including how these roles extend to online spaces.Discussion The internet can be a valuable avenue to foster wellbeing of LGBTQ+ internet users over 50, especially when considered alongside their history and sociocultural contexts. However potential barriers and harms of engaging online should be carefully considered alongside benefits.