social isolation

As the year progresses, the older adult population gets the innovators' attention. As it should be, given the swelling older adult market, growing visibility with investors, and increasing attention from the federal government. Rock Health break out the 65+ in its surveys of health tech ownership. Surveys show that Americans prefer to age in their own homes, also known as aging in place. Pew Research notes that the Centenarian population will triple in the next 30 years, baby boomers are hitting ‘peak 65’ this year, and in just six years, all 72 million baby boomers will be 65+. Within that context, it will continue to be important to note new innovations that could improve their quality of life, such as:

August, so warm, so replete with nursing home doomsayers and endless scam calls.  You may be one of the dwindling population (34% are homeowners) who have landlines in the US (even digital phone-service based). You may feel like it is a waste, especially given the remarkably robust phone-scam industry populated in noisy call centers by reps who know nothing about the so-called Do Not Call list, and whose measurement must be based on getting you to pick up the phone again and again.  Your relatives only text. Even your dentist and doctor prefer text. So why keep it? Maybe you run a business and need to call clients. Maybe you are legitimately afraid of not being found by emergency services (see below).  Maybe you are an older adult living alone and just want to chat with someone.  Here are the five blog posts from August:

Social isolation has become an insidious problem among older adults. It’s at the point where the surgeon general recently declared it to be a serious health risk: "29% increased risk of heart disease, a 32% increased risk of stroke, and a 50% increased risk of developing dementia for older adults. Additionally, lacking social connection increases risk of premature death by more than 60%.  Certainly one factor is the growth in the number of older adults living alone, including 44% of women aged 75+.  Technology’s role in mitigating it is being studied in research programs and healthcare. In one study of studies, the authors concluded that while it seems apparent that it can be helpful, specific technologies were not studied separately.  In another pilot program, Talking Tech, participants were surveyed as being less lonely following increased technology literacy and access to tools to connect with others and boost social interactions. And in New York State, the rollout of AI companion robot ElliQ to 800 seniors reportedly resulted in a "95% reduction in loneliness."