No End in Sight for Age 50+ Tech Market Growth

BY BRITTNE KAKULLA AARP Research

Smart phones, smart TVs, tablets, you name it: Americans age 50-plus are embracing technology. A new AARP survey finds older adults are not only increasing their spending on technology, they would buy even more of it if devices were geared to their needs.

This year, the average adult age 50-plus expects to spend $912 on tech purchases, up 11% from 2021 ($821) and a 130% rise from 2019 ($394), according to a national online poll of about 3,000 Americans conducted last fall.

Nearly eight in 10 respondents say technology has become an integral part of their life, and they use it frequently to connect with loved ones. The need to replace or upgrade items for the home prompted more than seven in 10 to make a tech purchase in 2022.

Room to Grow the Market

Older adults have an appetite for more tech, but many find it difficult to learn and navigate. Indeed, 68% of those 50-plus do not believe today’s technology is designed with them in mind.

While cost and data privacy are concerns, respondents most often say it’s the complexity of devices, software and hardware, as well as the lack of clear benefit, that makes them hesitant to buy, the AARP survey shows.

Still, tech ownership and use are high among older Americans. The survey finds 86% own a smart phone, 70% have a smart TV, 59% use a tablet, 31% have a home assistant, 28% own a wearable device, and 24% have a smart home-tech device.

To stay in touch with others, 94% text, 88% email, 74% are on social media, and 67% video chat.

The most popular social media platforms among adults 50 and over are Facebook and YouTube. Use of Instagram increased from 24% in 2021 to 28% in 2022 among this age group; TikTok use also rose, from 10% to 15%.

More than 80% engage in at least some form of streaming for entertainment, and 65% do so on a smart TV. Regular use of daily streaming is significantly up among older Americans: about 35% of those age 50 and over stream daily, compared to 29% last year.

While Americans love their technology as a way to stay connected, consume entertainment and shop, the AARP research indicates that those over age 50 are also increasingly open to using it to support their well-being. About one in five say they are interested in using health apps for meditation, eliminating bad habits, or improving sleep.

Caregivers also see promise in the benefits of tech, according to the survey. Among those age 50-plus caring for loved ones, more than half (52%) are interested in tech to help them with their caregiving needs.

The most popular home-tech safety devices encourage independence and safety, such as doorbell cameras. Other items that garner interest include home alarms and small electronic devices to turn off items.

The Information Gap

Lack of information about what tech to use often keeps consumers from leveraging technology-based solutions for health and wellness, AARP discovered. While

24% of those 50-plus see doctors as a good resource, only 9% are getting information from them about using tech to improve their health.

The AARP results reflect a need to educate older consumers on the available tech, how it will benefit them, where to get it, and how to use it. Considering the potential barriers to tech adoption facing older consumers, the research suggests they need to be convinced that the product is easy to use and to clearly understand the benefits.

When deciding what to buy, respondents say they rely on personal research (25%), recommendations from friends and family (17%), and in-store or online promotions (15%); for others, seamless integration or interoperability with other tech devices influences them (13%).

The AARP tech survey was conducted online between Sept. 23 and Oct. 6, 2022, in English and Spanish. The survey sampled 2,979 adults, weighted to reflect the range of demographics about U.S. adults age 18-plus and age 50-plus.

Learn more at aarp.org/research. n

Older Adults’ Satisfaction with U.S. Healthcare Varies

CHERYL LAMPKIN AARP Research

A recent AARP national survey of adults ages 50+ shows uneven satisfaction with healthcare in the U.S. and an interest in exploring how other countries approach aging issues.

While most older Americans believe the quality of healthcare in the U.S. is good, many are concerned about both equal access and high costs.

About half of respondents rated healthcare quality in the U.S. as good (36%) or very good (14%). Just 39% give accessibility positive marks, and only 16% say it is affordable.

Americans’ views on the U.S. system overall are segmented, according to AARP. When considering quality, access, and cost together, 24% consider it to be poor, 30% view it as good, and 47% rate it as fair.

Older adults are curious about what works in other countries at an individual and a policy level. The survey reveals 82% think the U.S. could learn from other countries about healthcare best practices and solutions, and 45% are personally interested in learning from an interna- tional perspective about ways to approach healthy aging.

Men approve of the U.S. health care system more than women do. Meanwhile, Americans earning incomes under $30,000 a year are less satisfied than are those with higher incomes. People who had traveled abroad were more open to learning from other cultures about their health care.

In considering specific kinds of health services, Americans 50 and over give higher approval ratings (51%) to general treatment in the U.S. for chronic conditions than they do for dementia or Alzheimer’s patient care, with only 38% feeling the U.S. outperforms other countries in that area.

While 39% say the U.S. is at least somewhat better than other countries in providing comprehensive care for older adults, just 35% believe the U.S. is better than other countries in providing longterm care options that are effective or affordable (32%).

The findings come from an AARP Omni online survey of 1,014 adults ages 50-plus in November 2022. The national sample was weighted by age, gender, and race/ethnicity.

Learn more at aarp.org/research.