AI and machine learning

The more things change – some trends dominate.   As the demographics change, couples age at different rates, life expectancy grows among the 65+ --averaging 20 more years, the oldest population growth rate outpaces younger demographic segments.  As the oldest baby boomer crosses 80 in the next few months several trends will drive technology adoption in distinctly new ways. As a result, the market for tech will need to accommodate a series of changes, sales methodologies and market opportunities.  A worsening labor shortage will continue to plague the senior care sectors, including senior living, nursing homes, and in-home care. What are the drivers that should attract innovators in the older adult tech industry?

Home care is a labor-intensive business. And as everyone can see, labor is increasingly a scarce resource, likely to seem ever more scarce -- as the boomers age into their 80’s and beyond, their population outpacing the growth of the care workforce. While there are many articles that will describe the 'aging tsunami' and worrisome lack of workers to care for the oldest, few technology solutions have entered this market up to now. How can AI tools participate appropriately in home care and home healthcare?  What are some of the circumstances that make this the right time to consider? And what are examples that indicate potential?  Suggestions of offerings and interviewees are welcome.

Tech adoption for older adults is growing... The surveyed ubiquity of technology has led to a belief that it is everywhere it needs to be, with media assumptions about the benefit of smartphones and online tools, ownership of devices, or access to broadband speeds. The majority of older adults now own smartphones and smart TVs. Why? To access digital services. And, of course, to connect with families. But it is past time to make smartphone user interfaces more usable (accessible even) and make sure that if it’s the only phone an older adult owns, it supports sharing tools like FaceTime, text chatting, or YouTube. 

As 2025 began, the oldest baby boomer has turned 79. The population aged 65+ exceeds 58 million. Because of the sheer size of the older adult market, vendors see older adults as constituents of the market of technology for multiple age and health segments, though in the consumer product category their opinions are still often ignored (see The User Experience Needs An Upgrade).  How does the technology market evolve in next few years -- and how do older adults respond to the changes and opportunities it presents? 

Older adults will adapt to change and adopt new technology. When an 88-year-old neighbor is filming fireworks with his smartphone, it is easy to see that times have changed. If an affordable technology can be found that meets a personal need (or answers a compelling question with AI), people will find it and get it to work. Remember encyclopedias – we now cannot imagine any process that would again make them useful. Could training be more readily found? Will all devices default to ‘Accessibility’ and security options that you must undo? 

Maybe it really is time for the 'virtual' AgeTech suite. As HLTH 2024 wrapped up this month, including its plethora of small-scope, standalone AgeTech offerings, look over at the world of Digital Health. A drop in funding precipitated a rethink on the part of some companies – causing them to acquire functionality rather than build it themselves – and saving time and money. Duh.  Looking at the 58 companies that made up the AgeTech exhibit hall at HLTH, they are prime candidates as well for combination into 'virtual' suites. No integration required, just marketing awareness that in the eyes of the ultimate user, family member or reseller, one offering is complementary to another.  And more to the point, that user may need all of them at one point or another, as physical wellbeing, mental capacity, and social connections -- will likely evolve over time.