Aging and Health Technology Watch

Government changes to help older adults. Caregiving and other demands of an aging population gained significant government attention and new initiatives during 2024, all approved, with only reimbursed telehealth access remaining to be approved. Technology enablement and access will likely be components of each of these initiatives as they evolve. Clearly more progress is required for protecting older adults from scams.

CES 2025 is wrapping up soon -- here's another look.  As always, it is an opportunity to contemplate the state of tech innovation, wading figuratively past announcements of cars and TVs. Browsing through the many articles and news websites, looking for what could benefit older adults in the context of making lives easier, more sociable, more functional and empowered, these five are attention-worthy.  All material is from their announcements and/or websites.  As with previous CES 2025 blog posts, it is important to note that offerings may be concepts, not yet products, and that some may not enter the commercial or US market at all. The important aspect is that the underlying technologies are a step (or more) forward in possibilities to help older adults.  Here's hoping that next year has even more to consider.

One might think that the Consumer Electronics Show is about consumer electronics.  Not really. It is about tech concepts and possibilities, and possibly new or near-term products, that can lead to future products and/or distribution in the market. Whether in TVs, cars, drones, wearables, accessibility tech, home appliances or headsets, this international show with its 150,000 attendees has an ‘AI Everywhere’ (surprise!) theme. Attendees help both startups and established players to gain media and market attention and maybe even meet a few distribution partners or funders.  Here are 10 from this year’s show:

Most consumers might say that they would appreciate greater tech ease of use.  But is that what they get? The tech industry’s fondness for innovation (see Innovation Awards for 2025) will likely beget ease of use in one gadget (see gesture innovation) – while creating an integration requirement in another.   There will be some intriguing announcements next week, like the winner of Challenge --  The Digital Health for All Award – particularly targeting those with developmental disabilities – seeking greater independence and control of their health. And AARP’s AgeTech Summit will focus making daily tasks and aging easier. Taking a look at the list of startups exhibiting, individually they accomplish the targeted task goal.

What caught our attention in 2024 in the older adult aging and health tech market?  By the end of the year of 2024, heading into CES 2025, AI, or at least the term ‘AI’ has caught the eye of all, from scammers to overpriced startups to overspending investors.   It all is reminiscent of previous years of hysteria over the web, the cloud, voice, and so on.  As we head towards CES 2025, where an enter new class graduates into the booths and brouhaha, here is a look back at 2024’s most notable blog posts:

Each of several recent years, AARP has surveyed older adults about tech use. This year’s report is remarkable – they created a new online survey segment, the 80+ age range.  Responses were not too surprising. There was skepticism about whether tech can enable a healthy life – the percentage dropping among those aged 70+ since last year. Perhaps they know that a healthy life also depends on diet and exercise – and that 40% of Americans 65+ are obese. Remember that only 23% of adults aged 65+ exercise in accordance with federal guidelines.  Those guidelines include 2 days per week of strength training, which helps retain muscle mass, improve balance and reduce risk from falls.  

Kudos to AARP - life expectancy impacts tech adoption. For the first time in their published research, AARP’s 2025 report provides insights into the tech adoption and preferences of older adults aged 80+. With life expectancy at 65 extending to an additional 20 years, this change reveals business opportunities to serve that age group, including tech-enabled services (like high speed Internet access), health-related devices and services, and most particularly training, as the survey reveals.  

The WSJ article circles the problem.  When 41,000 older adults die as a result of falls each year at a cost of $80 billion (projected to $101 billion by 2030), maybe more scrutiny is required than this (unlocked) WSJ article provided.  Each year 1 in 4 older adults fall, and the number of (reported) falls is rising each year. Note that 43% of women aged 75 live alone – hazards in the home can increase the risk of falls. Aa person living alone is at risk of an undetected fall and, as with Jane Glenn Haus, an associated long lie time. According to the CDC, "falls account for 25% of all hospital admissions and 40% of all nursing home admissions. 40% of those admitted do not return to independent living; 25% die within a year."

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? 

Touch screens are an unending aggravation. Study the iPhone commands, for example.  Push up to get the display, pull down to select ‘Do not disturb’, but not too hard, because many other options appear. Push sideways, to change screens, move an icon around the screen, and, well, you know what happens then. Of course, knowing these choices is based on experience (and experimentation over time), not based on any training.  So what if you encounter the device for the first time?  Your hands shake just a bit, and you remember how much you liked having a keyboard…You wonder, are there ways to train new (and older) users on how to use touch screens – and for that matter, the essentials of the device? And will Siri’s voice commands overcome the touch screen’s limitations? Yes, actually.