Aging and Health Technology Watch

Longevity expectations can mislead or inform.  Today’s life expectancy chart for 2026 notes an increase of life expectancy at birth to 79.  Of course, that is a silly number to mention among the 65+ population which can expect to live into their mid-80s. And the physical condition they are in varies all over the map. You notice the very frail in their 80s walking carefully with a cane or walker.  You also see people in their late 80s jumping up and down in a water aerobics class. Or people in their 70s and beyond lifting heavy weights in a gym or bicycling long distances. 

Gloria Steinem and Ms. Magazine were groundbreakers in the 1970s.  Gloria Steinem died this week at the age of 92 after (literally) a lifetime of activism on behalf of women. More than 50 years ago, Ms. Magazine launched with 300,000 subscribers and Wonder Woman on the cover.  It also formalized a medium for discussion of the burgeoning women’s movement, women coalescing around shared issues in a public square, naming names, pushing for change, addressing topics like sexual harassment, equal rights and pay.  The introduction of women’s consciousness raising groups on a college campus was revelatory for so many young women, shaking up their expectations about their own futures.

You probably don’t think about crossword puzzles much.  Maybe you should – the research points to their utility (along with the even-more-important exercise and interacting with people) as one of the ways to help people maintain thinking and brain health – even delaying onset of memory decline. We like to think we will avoid dementia and Alzheimer’s through whatever means are possible, especially in families with a history of cognitive impairment. 

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.

Worth a try – ask a question with a quantifiable result.  It seems we have ‘progressed’ from the days of a list of links when asking Google a question.  Now we get an ‘AI result’ – that is termed an ‘AI overview.’  How about what percent of people aged 75+ own smartphones?  Simple enough. The answer – 31% in ‘foundational benchmarks’.  Ah, but those were from 2017.  Guess it presumed I wanted that 9-year-old number.  Qualifying the question with ‘in 2026’ – the answer is 62-75%.  Sounds better, but this is a 2024 number, derived from a Consumer Affairs report, unfortunately labeled as updated in 2026.

Startups targeting the older adult market segments continue to emerge.  The oldest baby boomer has reached age 80 and many will live well past that age. Reports are emerging that assess this longevity phenomenon.. Many live alone, and some may be in need of the emerging technologies to help preserve quality of life and independence. These could appear in the caregiving space, offer check in calls to older adults living alone, strategies for aging in place, or assisting the hearing impaired. Here are five new technologies for older adults that have emerged in recent weeks and months.  The text is derived directly from the websites of the companies themselves.

The new Senate report signals fear and caution…Released last week, the report, Artificial Intelligence and Older Adults, cites worrisome statistics about fraud and older adults (aged 60 and older), climbing to $2.4 billion by 2024. Examples are compelling – use of AI-generated images,  deep fakes, chatbots, and voice cloning.  Ironically, it turns out all ages are being scammed, particularly 35-44 year-olds.

...And lack of government action. And the report could be even more depressing if looked at in detail, it cites numerous legislative actions that have not been implemented. And no date has been offered for when they may be considered. Among legislation stuck at starting gate: Preventing Fakes, Combatting Scams, the just-introduced Aging with AI (about Chatbots), Reporting scams, and tax relief for scam victims.  

Back in the day – 2009.  Seems like, uh, 17 years ago.  Long before the arrival of AI.  Long before smartphone ownership by seniors took off.  One year before the introduction of FaceTime. Back in the day of a new wearable chest strap or belt clip from Halo monitoring that could detect a fall. Back in the introduction day of Healthsense eNeighbor for environment monitoring.  The question that blog post raised was whether it was more important to monitor the person (with a wearable) or the place (in the environment).

Looking back to see the future.  Tech for older adults has been a market category for a long time.  It is documented in a 2009 Market Overview as ‘Tech for Aging in Place’ and is accompanied by a categorized list of tech companies that fit the needs of older adults at that time.  What is striking about this report? It’s basic assertions are unchanged – people want to remain in their own homes, as independent as possible.  The cost of long-term care was daunting and largely out of reach in 2009.  Assisted living cost was $36K/year in 2007 and was projected to grow to $51K by 2015.  Actually, it exceeded $75,000 in 2026, still largely paid out of pocket from savings and social security income – today only 3% of Americans have long-term care insurance.

Living alone and fall risk.  Today 43% of women aged 75+ live alone – that is, in their own home versus a senior living community. They are more likely to live alone than in other countries.  However, only 9 percent use a personal emergency response device, with no change over the past few years. And for those devices, the key customer is the adult child. And this is despite fall risk which grows with age, though the recent Senate initiative does not differentiate among older age groups.