COVID-19 Spurring Seniors to Use More Health Tech Tools, Says Parks

Slightly more than a third of older adult broadband households have a smart speaker or smart display, compared with 49% of all U.S. broadband homes, reported Parks Associates Tuesday, saying low prices and convenience of voice-first interfaces continue to spur “rapid adoption.” COVID-19 is contributing to new awareness, use and openness to connected technology among seniors and caregivers, said the researcher, as 26% of households 65 or older use at least one virtual health or wellness tool, and nearly 10% use a health tracker. Three-fourths of broadband households 65+ use a smartphone; 13% report owning at least one tested connected medical device. Older adults report higher usage of entertainment services, video calling services, pick-up and delivery services, and other service types, countering a “myth among service providers that seniors are not tech-adept,” said President Elizabeth Parks. About a quarter use virtual tools to manage their health and wellness, primarily patient portals that grant access to health and medical information from physicians. Some 10% use apps and services that track health, fitness, diet, weight or exercise routines.