End-to-End Communication Paradox: A Family Communication Patterns Theory and Digital Void Analysis of the Elderly Care Cycle

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-622-2_7How to use a DOI?

Keywords

End-to-End Communication; Communication Paradox; Family Communication Patterns Theory; Digital Void; Elderly Care

Abstract

This study examines the end-to-end communication paradox in institutional elderly care by applying Family Communication Patterns Theory (FCPT) and developing the concept of Digital Void. The research is motivated by contemporary family complexities—including geographic dispersion, economic constraints, and disputes over caregiving responsibilities—which complicate the placement of older adults in institutional settings. Drawing upon Family Communication Patterns Theory (FCPT), the study identifies twelve recurrent interaction patterns among family members, elderly residents, and nursing home administrators, revealing persistent double-bind communication dilemmas. A qualitative multiple-case study involving 12 families in East Java, Indonesia, demonstrates that despite the widespread availability of digital communication infrastructure, a pronounced phenomenon of Digital Void—characterised by declining frequency, responsiveness, and information transparency—emerges during tripartite coordination. This digital vacuum stems from the interplay of internal family coordination failures and institutional regulations that prioritise elderly emotional stability over transparent information exchange. Consequently, digital technologies paradoxically transition from connective tools to instruments of institutionalised social isolation, as families increasingly outsource emotional responsibility following placement agreements. The study advocates for reforming nursing home communication management through transparent End Notification Protocols. As Indonesia’s elderly population continues to grow rapidly, the findings position care homes not as relationship terminators, but as essential family partners in building a more humanistic, collaborative, and dignified eldercare ecosystem.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Zulin Nurchayati
AU  - Prahastiwi Utari
AU  - Andre Noevi Rahmanto
AU  - Rina Herlina Haryanti
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
TI  - End-to-End Communication Paradox: A Family Communication Patterns Theory and Digital Void Analysis of the Elderly Care Cycle
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Communication, Digital Ecosystem, and Society (ICODES 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 91
EP  - 102
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-622-2_7
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-622-2_7
ID  - Nurchayati2026
ER  -