Living in the Virtual World?

The Pew Research Center Internet Project has issued a new report on the use of technology among older adults. (some readers might find irony in the fact that I’m writing this blog post while flying to Huntsville ,Alabama and connected to the internet at 30,000 feet).  The April 3, 2014 Pew report, Older Adults and Technology Use shows that this group of digital immigrants has been slow to adopt the use of technology, but there is growth. The report’s major findings show that:

America’s seniors have historically been late adopters to the world of technology compared to their younger compatriots, but their movement into digital life continues to deepen, according to newly released data from the Pew Research Center. In this report, we take advantage of a particularly large survey to conduct a unique exploration not only of technology use between Americans ages 65 or older and the rest of the population, but within the senior population as well.

Two different groups of older Americans emerge. The first group (which leans toward younger, more highly educated, or more affluent seniors) has relatively substantial technology assets, and also has a positive view toward the benefits of online platforms. The other (which tends to be older and less affluent, often with significant challenges with health or disability) is largely disconnected from the world of digital tools and services, both physically and psychologically.

As the internet plays an increasingly central role in connecting Americans of all ages to news and information, government services, health resources, and opportunities for social support, these divisions are noteworthy—particularly for the many organizations and individual caregivers who serve the older adult population.

Here are some of the key points discussed in the report: “[s]ix in ten seniors now go online, and just under half are broadband adopters” (that is, “more than half of older adults (defined as those ages 65 or older) were internet users.” (emphasis in original). This reflects a 6% uptick in a year, according to the report.  More now have a cell phone, up from 69% in 2012 to 77%. However, the report notes that older adults still are slowly to adopt tech, with “41% …not us[ing] the internet at all” slightly less than a quarter not using cell phones and slightly over half without broadband at home.  The report found that “[y]ounger, higher-income, and more highly educated seniors use the internet and broadband at rates approaching—or even exceeding—the general population; internet use and broadband adoption each drop off dramatically around age 75.”

The report reviewed the hurdles to adoption of new tech by older adults, including

• Physical challenges;
• Skepticism regarding how technology benefits them; and
• Difficulties learning to use new technologies–what I call the “teaching old dogs new tricks” scenario. 

Yet once  older adults move to the digital world, “digital technology often becomes an integral part of their daily lives.”

And how many devices do you have?  Older adult ownership is also different, according to the report

• fewer own a smartphone,
• tablets and e-readers are just as sought after as smartphones (amongst the rest of the population, smartphones are more prevalent), and
• a little over 25% of the respondents use social networking.

The report has some very interesting data in it and I think it’s well worth reading–whether on your computer or e-reader!