Many health problems concerning cognitive health, physical health, and psychological health pose a socioeconomic burden to caregivers and healthcare providers at many levels, ranging from families, to physicians, and to hospitals, and eventually pose a threat to the sustainable welfare systems. Apart from having a sound healthcare policy, other means of improving the quality of life of the elderly people are much needed. Televisions are considered
to be one of the most powerful visual media having a big impact on the elderly people’s daily lives. Sedentary lifestyle in front of the televisions, however, could result in physical inactivity, obesity and the so-called couch-potato related diseases. While the proper use of televisions could act as a replacement for the lost social contacts, helping the viewers preserve a sense of social participation and limit the feelings of isolation and loneliness, as supported by the theory of communications activity substitution.