digital health

Ask and you shall receive – approximately.   How many health apps are available for the iPhone? Says Google – there are 60,000 health apps (eliminating the medical category) in the App Store. Grok says 76,451, ChatGPT says 82,000.  And ChatGPT, as a good spy, went a step further, though not asked – claiming that there is no official count of apps for aging in place, caregiving, dementia, hearing, and medication management.  And Apple does not count these as a separate category anyway.  

Older adults are clearly more tech proficient today… On the positive side, data sources show that older adults are more proficient today than in years past – why? Because of necessity.  Consider smartphones and enabling apps, software like FaceTime, social media tech, and TV remotes. It is nearly impossible to function at all without these skills.  They can be discovered through trial and error – or training can be found to help. These options include online, video, or live classes including GetSetup, Senior Planet, CyberSeniors, IBM SkillsBuild for Seniors, Senior Tech Connect and many more. But the more capable all become, the more new tech they encounter.

Today's baby boomer is open to monitoring his or her own health. The population aged 62-80 are increasingly likely to own smartphones, smart watches, Wi-Fi in the home and other tech, such as hearables and chronic disease tracking tools. They may have hearing or vision limitations that could be assisted with new technology. They may have family members who are also interested in their wellbeing.  A large number them may be solo agers, divorced, widowed and living alone or a long distance from family.  The majority will remain in their own homes for as long as is feasible.

Some baby boomers check their personal data on smart watches or their phones regularly. They track their activities, tolerate the reminders to stand, wishing to do better than they did last week or last month. Maybe they stand on an ever-smarter weight scale – or go off to the gym to work out in groups or alone.  Why?  Maybe they are women (unaddressed at CES 2026) who worry about bone loss, have a justifiable fear of falling, or have already fallen.  Why don’t more than 26.9 % of women do strength training, to build muscle around bone to protect themselves in the event of a fall?

The AARP survey of ‘Jobs to be Done’ by AI shows readiness for health-related AI.  Health-related opportunities were cited – medication tracking, personalized wellness guidance, and active living reminders. At the same time, the report asserts that adoption depends on trust, customization and integration into day-to-day life.  What stands between today’s AI offerings and that next stage of adoption, which will be dependent on our trust of the technology.