Editorial
The Gist
- Embrace change. Senior-friendly technology isn't just a luxury, it's a must-have in the growing digital age.
- Mind the gap. Improving technology usability for seniors bridges the digital divide, enabling inclusive innovation.
- See the potential. Seniors are an untapped market for senior-friendly technology companies and offer substantial growth opportunities.
As a mother, I’m constantly amazed by how intuitive my two school-age children are around computing devices, video games and other technology. They learn how to use and enjoy all kinds of gadgets with no sweat.
Are Tech Products Failing to Meet Elderly Needs?
But my own mom, who is in her late 70s, is a different story. Recently, she wanted something that would keep her hot drinks warm. So, I looked into buying her a “smart mug,” which has sensors that detect temperature and liquid level and can send convection currents to maintain a precise drinking temperature for hours. You can even control it with an app. I have one, and I thought it would be a great fit for her at first.
But it quickly became clear to me that Mom would end up being so frustrated by the experience and the interactions between her mobile phone and the device — that it would never end up being used. Instead, I ended up getting her an old-fashioned, analog hot plate.
The experience got me wondering if product and digital experience designers are doing enough to make their offerings usable by older generations. It’s an especially apt question as the Aug. 21 National Senior Citizens Day approaches.
Related Article: The Impact of Smart Tech on Customer Demands
Tech Ignoring Senior Market: A Missed Opportunity?
Unlike most younger folks, seniors often struggle with reduced reactivity, visual impairments, hearing difficulties, reduced mobility and other challenges that make it difficult to keep up with the latest technology.
To what extent are providers of smart home devices, wearable gadgets, connected vehicles and all the other technologies that are revolutionizing the way consumers interact with products and services taking aging into account? Are these providers focusing on senior-friendly technology?
I don’t know that anyone has a clear answer, but it’s safe to say every technology company could be doing more. And not just because it’s the right thing to do but because improving technology usability for seniors makes smart business sense.
According to the Census figures, the US elderly population grew nearly five times faster than the total population over the 100 years from 1920 to 2020. The decade from 2010 to 2020 saw the fastest increase in the nation’s elderly population since 1880 to 1890. At last count, the 65-and-over population has reached 55.8 million, or 16.8% of the total.
And the graying of America is just getting rolling. Between 2020 and 2060, the number of older adults is expected to increase by 69% and approach 100 million.
“The current growth of the population ages 65 and older is unprecedented in US history and has important implications for policymakers,” the Population Reference Bureau says.
Related Article: How IoT, Automotive and SmartTV Are Changing the Digital Customer Experience
Older Generations Embrace Tech, Companies Must Adapt
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that if the population as a whole is significantly aging, so are most businesses’ customers. If they want to stay competitive, companies have no choice but to ensure their innovations can seamlessly integrate into older people’s lives.
In addition to the demographic trends that support a strategy to appeal to the aging population, studies show that more and more older people want to use new technology.
While younger adults are often more likely than their elders to be earlier adopters, use of key technologies by older people has grown dramatically in the last decade or so, and the gap between the oldest and youngest adults has narrowed, a Pew Research survey revealed.
For example, the study found that while 96% of 18- to 29-year-olds own a smartphone compared with 61% of those 65 and older — a 35% difference — though the gap dropped from 53 points in 2012.
Another interesting sign of older people’s growing tech savvy, according to the report: Presence on social media among Americans 65 and up grew four-fold since 2010, while use by the youngest adults remained relatively constant.
Tech Must Bridge Gap for Senior Adoption: Usability Is Key
A study by the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that senior citizens are especially interested in technologies such as videoconferencing apps, fitness trackers, and other wearable medical devices that support their emotional and physical well-being.
However, they frequently encounter barriers to adoption, according to the report, including “information overload” and technologies being “uncomfortable to use, expensive, and unfamiliar.”
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It has always been a fact of life for technology providers that it’s one thing to win over early adopters, it’s another to grow sales among broader mainstream customers.
To cross that chasm, you have to think more about product usability and why the offering fits a real need (or else you may end up with the kind of technological overcomplication parodied in a recent “smart boat” commercial).
Appealing to the growing customer base of older people merely raises the bar on what has always been true.
Now more than ever, companies need to evaluate whether they’re investing enough in making sure their products and services match the daily realities of older people.
As much as possible, we need to create confidence that someone like my mom can feel as comfortable around technology as my kids do.
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