Baby boomers feel more comfortable shopping and doing tasks in person, but they are using digital media more and more every day. They may not check their smartphones as frequently as their younger counterparts, but many are checking their phones when they first get up and are quickly overcoming screen time anxieties.
Older adults also are turning to the digital world to monitor their health and make life more convenient, from ordering groceries online to scheduling rides. They are emailing family and friends and playing free video games. And yes, they are scrolling social media, although they are much more likely to check out Facebook than Instagram.
According to a survey of more than 2,000 people aged 59 to 77 by AddictionResource.net, 35% of respondents are using their smartphones one to three hours a day and another 30% are using them three to five hours a day. Half of the respondents said they check their phones within an hour of waking up.
While they may not spend hours on TikTok or Instagram, it is no longer true that older adults shy away from new technology and the digital world in general. This Senior Resources Guide, which is written by the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington, is designed to show that it is no longer true that some people are just too old to use the internet or even send email. It also will provide examples of technology geared specifically for those who did not grow up with a smartphone or tablet in their hands.
According to the Addiction Resource survey, some older adults are even experiencing discomfort when separated from their devices, and about 30% have tried to lessen their screen time without success.
Baby boomers still stick to traditional media when watching movies and television or reading newspapers and books. However, they are frequent users of YouTube and Facebook, according to research conducted at Colorado State University. Older adults were quite active on those sites, more so on Facebook.
And like everyone else, they are likely to share content they enjoy to their own social networks.
GWI, a global consumer research platform, noted that baby boomers used to confine their browsing to a laptop or desktop computer. Now, they are reaching for the phones, but while younger people tend to be more compulsive about the latest technologies, older adults continue to be skeptical of the digital world and often wait before downloading the latest app.
The pandemic affected global digital use for just about everyone. For younger people stuck at home, schoolwork and games kept them hooked to their devices for many hours. Older adults basically were forced to communicate with their doctors and book appointments online. This enabled them to become more internet savvy. In a world where restaurants offer ordering by snapping a photo of a QR code, it’s hard to stay off the internet.
But it is more than that. According to GWI, the biggest growth in gaming since 2018 was among people between the ages of 55 and 64. Nearly one-fourth of baby boomers have downloaded free video games. Still, members of the older generation are most likely to be hesitant to sign up for new services and continue to fear someone will steal their personal information.
While young people tend to use multiple apps regularly, older adults tend to use certain apps more often, especially banking and insurance ones. They check the weather. What they also are turning to are dating apps. Whether single, divorced or widowed, older adults are looking for companionship and love, just like everyone else.
According to the Pew Research Center, while older adults were not early adopters, their attachment continues to grow. As of 2021, 96% of people between the ages of 18 and 29 own a smartphone, while 61% of those 65 years and older do. That’s a 35-percentage point difference. However, back in 2012, there was a 53-percentage point difference.
Older adults are the least likely of any age group to use X/Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites, according to the Pew Research Center. Still, about 45% of older adults reported checking them out. That is a fourfold growth since 2010.
What is apparent in many of the categories that the Pew Research Center studied is that older adults are using the internet at an increasing rate, while the rate for younger people remains fairly constant. Still, young people opt for a diversity of uses as compared to their grandparents. After all, it is hard to beat young people who tend to be constantly checking
their phones.
In 2024, AARP reported that nine out of 10 Americans who were at least 50 years old owned a smartphone. Three-quarters of them have smart televisions and 59% own a tablet. In the previous year, 69% of adults older than 50 years bought at least one tech product, although they tended to take a wait-and-see approach rather than buying the latest tech on the market.
For seniors hesitant to take the plunge into the digital world, there is plenty of help. Local libraries, senior centers, religious institutions and various nonprofits offer workshops and classes, often for free.
COVID, social isolation, loneliness and convenience may have pushed adults into the tech age a little quicker, but in this day and age, it is hard to get by without it. And, anyway, who wants to look old or out of it to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren?
Worldwide, there are 5.35 billion internet users, according to Forbes. That is out of a world population estimated at 8.2 billion. Regardless of where they live, people are “working, streaming, scrolling and gaming,” according to Forbes. By 2029, the number of internet users is predicted to reach 7.9 billion. Not bad for a creation that only started in January of 1983. Users will surely increase greatly as more areas are reached by broadband, and residents of rural areas start clicking away.
Don’t think that older adults are just sitting around in their rocking chairs filling their long days perusing the internet. Sure, like everyone else, they definitely can get caught up going down a rabbit hole by clicking away, but the internet also has made — and continues to make — life easier for people of all ages. Older adults still can remember when the remote control made life easier by allowing them to remain on the couch while changing television channels.
For adults who want to stay in their own homes as long as possible, there are so many smart home, shopping and safety devices that make that choice so much easier. Adults who no longer drive don’t have to be confined indoors. Nor must they count on the kindness of family, friends and neighbors for transportation. They can just fill out a shopping list on a grocery store website and receive their fruits, vegetables, meats and paper goods at their front door the same day.
Need a ride to the doctor, movie theater or restaurant? Uber and Lyft drivers are waiting for your request. It takes but a few minutes on the internet to make a doctor or salon appointment or to ask for a prescription refill to be delivered, and you don’t have to listen to bad music while on hold waiting to speak to a real person.
If you want to stay in your home but feel nervous, there are security devices to hopefully scare away thieves. You can turn lights on and off or change the setting on your thermostat after downloading an app. Many people of all ages turn to Siri or Alexa devices to help them with so many tasks and reminders. Need a phone number, want to see what tomorrow’s weather will be, recall the name of that restaurant you loved last year or be reminded when to take your medication? Just ask away. Those devices also can relay the latest news and play your favorite songs just by asking.
Of course, the more you go online or use various apps, the higher your chances are of getting scammed. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, people 60 years and older collectively lost $4.8 billion to internet fraud. That includes phishing scams, tech support scams, extortion and personal data breaches.
According to the National Council on Aging, older adults are targeted more often as scammers believe they have money to spare. Those same scammers are likely to think of older adults as forgetful and overly trusting. And make no mistake about it, they are good and very convincing at what they do.
The National Council on Aging offers tips on how not to become a victim. First, don’t click on emails from unfamiliar senders. They are designed to get personal information that then can be used to steal savings. Don’t go to a website because an emailer said to, and don’t click on links unless they are ones you chose yourself and are from reputable sites. And remember, there is rarely, if ever, a need to act immediately. Don’t succumb to false pressure.
Do not click on attachments unless you are sure you know who sent them to you. Be particularly wary of attachments that end in .exe or .zip. Just because you see your friend’s name on an email, that doesn’t mean that person sent it to you. Hover the cursor over the email address to see if it is familiar.
Don’t answer scam calls, robocalls or numbers you don’t recognize. Be skeptical, and be aware that police, the IRS and other government agencies do not request social security numbers and other personal information through random email.
If you are dealing with a site you chose — like your bank — do it on your personal computer, not a public one. Your home computer has security safeguards that public computers do not offer.
It is fine to use smartphones and computers for personal reasons if you stay alert. Technology is important and helpful when it comes to your health. It doesn’t seem that long ago when people had regular weekly or monthly medical appointments to check blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and other vital signs. Now, machines that can be purchased at the nearest drugstore enable everyone to keep tabs on their own health and let their doctors know the results. Not only is that more convenient, but it also keeps you out of waiting rooms where sick people spread germs. Another benefit is that a change in your health can be caught quickly, limiting the risks of major problems.
Telemedicine, virtual conversations online with a medical professional, enable patients to speak directly to their doctor without leaving home. If it turns out you need to be seen, chances are the doctor will help you make an in-person appointment.
Medically, there are emergency alert devices and other tech apps to monitor health and others to notify loved ones if there is a problem, for instance, if they haven’t left their bed in a while.
