In the case of know-how use, older adults compete with their youthful counterparts
Younger adults don’t have any place within the know-how market, removed from it. A brand new survey from AARP finds that older People are about as possible as these underneath 50 to personal a smartphone, pill or different gadget.
Almost 9 in ten People (89% of these 50 and older and 90% of 18-49 12 months olds) personal a smartphone, in response to a nationwide survey carried out on-line in fall 2023. Amongst each age teams, 75 % personal a smartphone. Televisions and 59% have tablets.
Notably, whereas general know-how spending fell from $912 per particular person in 2022 to $798 in 2023, know-how purchases by adults of their 60s and 70s elevated. Final 12 months, 69% of adults over 50 bought at the very least one know-how product.
Later adoption
In the case of new applied sciences, most older adults choose a wait-and-see method (67%). Confidence of their digital literacy is decrease amongst older teams. Whereas 72% of adults aged 50 to 59 say they’ve the digital expertise wanted to take full benefit of being on-line, 61% of these aged 70 and over suppose the identical.
Along with the general enhance in know-how use, older adults’ confidence within the trade to satisfy their wants has improved barely over the previous 12 months. In 2023, 64% of adults over 50 mentioned know-how was not designed for his or her age group, up from 68% in 2022.
Good dwelling and residential safety gadgets
Many People say they need to keep of their houses as they age, though the usage of good dwelling gadgets to take action stays comparatively steady.
About 33% of respondents use safety gadgets and 32% use Wi-Fi extenders of their houses. Almost half (46%) of seniors mentioned they have been conscious of good lighting and Wi-Fi-connected gadgets that may be managed remotely, however 47% weren’t serious about buying them.
Some respondents merely say they do not want (20%) or aren’t (11%) in good dwelling gadgets. Others say they’re too costly, do not belief them, or just choose older strategies of securing their dwelling.
Conscious, however skeptical about generative AI
Headline information about synthetic intelligence has piqued the curiosity of older individuals. Eighty-five % of People ages 50 and older have heard of generative AI, 31% are enthusiastic about its advantages, and 11% imagine it may enhance their digital safety.
But 60% of respondents say they’re undecided about its influence, and solely 9% say they use generative AI. Their hesitation could possibly be linked to considerations about on-line scams. Almost three-quarters of older People say they’ve been the goal of cybercrime, 19% have been victims, and 43% know somebody who has been a sufferer.
Worth in well being and wellness applied sciences
Older individuals are more and more recognizing the position that know-how can play in enabling wholesome dwelling, notably amongst these over 70.
For older adults with well being situations and their caregivers, know-how gadgets and digital companies could be helpful, offered they make full use of them. Whereas 69% of adults aged 50 and over endure from a number of power or severe well being situations, solely 13% are at present profiting from know-how to handle their scenario. A couple of fifth of them are conscious of and serious about utilizing know-how; lower than half (42%) are conscious of the applied sciences however should not .
Caregivers over 50 typically miss out on the advantages of well being and wellness know-how. AARP discovered that 54% of caregivers use digital medical companies, 25% interact in well being and health monitoring, 15% use telemedicine, and 11% reap the benefits of digital psychological well being and wellness companies. well-being.
Streaming is consuming into cable utilization
It’s clear that, like their youthful counterparts, older adults are migrating to much less conventional platforms. Streaming among the many over-50 inhabitants elevated from 64% in 2019 to 86% in 2023, with these over 70 displaying the most important enhance. Throughout the identical interval, cable viewership fell from 58% to 32% amongst older People.
Netflix (62%) and Amazon Prime Video (61%) are the preferred streaming platforms. Past these leisure choices, most older People (70%) like Fb and 51% frequent YouTube, whereas WhatsApp has expanded its viewers with utilization growing from 16% in 2022 to twenty% in 2023 .
Methodology
Outcomes are from an internet survey of three,229 U.S. adults carried out in September and October 2023. The nationwide pattern was demographically weighted to be consultant of adults by technology and was provided in English and Spanish .
For extra info, please contact Brittne Kakulla at bkakulla@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact Exterior Relations at media@aarp.org.
