Older Adults and Technology Use

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.

Among the key findings of this research:

• Six in ten seniors now go online, and just under half are broadband adopters
• Younger, 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
• Older adults face a number of hurdles to adopting new technologies, from physical challenges, skepticism about technology, and difficulty in learning new technology
• Once seniors join the online world, digital technology often becomes an integral part of their daily lives
• Seniors differ from the general population in their device ownership habits in that fewer older adults own mobile devices, and among older adults, tablets and e-book readers are as popular as smartphones
• 27% of older adults use social networking sites such as Facebook, but these users socialize more frequently with others compared with non-SNS users