Older people are increasingly turning to text and e-mail when it comes to communicating with friends and relatives, a study released yesterday has found.

A total of 71 per cent of over 65s surveyed said they regularly keep loved ones updated via e-mail, with 15 per cent saying texting is their preferred way of breaking major news. Nearly half of the older people questioned (49 per cent) said they would send good news via text message, with 24 per cent saying they actually prefer to text when they have to break bad news.

The main reason for the older generation preferring text messages is that they can plan what they are going to say, with 17 per cent stating that was the reason for their choice.

Jo Bryant of etiquette expert Debrett’s said: “Advancements in technology over the last 20 years mean how we send and receive news is different across all generations.

“It’s not just teenagers who are sharing life changing news by text, those in their 60s have become more at ease with this form of communication, and prefer in some situations to break big news in one simple, short message.

“In many cases, this is because they can keep in close contact with those who have grown up with texting as the norm.”

Facebook is not just the preserve of the young either, the research from T-Mobile showed, with four per cent of the over 65s surveyed saying they regularly sent big news through the social networking site.