Seniors & Technology
Get On Board!
We live in a digital world and ours lives are now governed by our devices. Platforms and apps such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, and endless streaming TV watching opportunities are all part of our daily existence. The world is on board, and you should be too!
Forbes published an interesting article written by Robin Seaton Jefferson entitled 'More Seniors Are Embracing Technology. But Can They Use It? USCD Researchers Suggest Asking Them.' At the end of the article, Jefferson quotes Joseph F. Coughlin who says "It's the mother of all untapped markets: the world's 65-plus population. Already at a historical high of over 600 million people, it's projected to hit a full billion by 2030, and 1.6 billion by 2050." Wow. Technology companies will definitely have to design their products and services around this demographic in order to fully grab the marketplace.
According to a report by the Consumer Technology Association, safety and smart-living technologies, health and remote care, and wellness and fitness technologies are expected to triple in the next three years, to nearly $30 billion. Check out this 2019 article, written by a good friend Julie Halpert, for CNBC entitled '7 New Tech Devices for Elder Care That Help Seniors Live Happier, Healthier Lives.'
When I first came up with the idea for Gracefully Greying through video podcasts and the use of the internet as a tool for information, many people said that older adults are not computer or technologically savvy. I disagree. Statistics show that more and more of our gracefully greying demographics are on the internet, use Facebook, text and email, and are increasingly more comfortable in our digital world. My 99-year-old step mother uses Facebook and emails on a regular basis (although I admit, she is definitely not the norm at 99). The demographics of Gracefully Greying are 50 and over or with aging parents. Our goal is to use technology as well as old-fashioned good advice to create the go-to community for every issue through our website, our GG YouTube Channel, continuous blogs, and our newsletter Senior Musings. Take advantage of our all-encompassing, user-friendly community as a hub for your ideas, a resource of professionals discussing their expertise, business and organizational services and resources. As we continue to build our gracefully greying community, please share your thoughts and ideas for guests, topical areas of interest, and educational forums, for you to become fully involved and digitally connected with your near and broader community.
-Henry Gornbein