Credit: GreatCall

One of the biggest markets for Health Tech devices is to provide monitoring and support of elderly individuals in a variety of settings, from independent living in their own home to supervised care in a health facility. But what do seniors think about technology?

GreatCall conducted a survey of cellphone owners 65 years old or older, and the results are interesting. They presented their findings in an infographic, part of which is shown above. The study found that nearly three out of four seniors have a desktop computer, and more than half of them own two or more “mainstream technology devices.” I found it particularly interesting that 63% of the aging consumers report that safety is the reason that they have a cellphone.

Clearly seniors are open to the idea of mobile (and presumably wearable) devices that can provide them with greater security for their health and safety. While a significant portion reported being frustrated with some aspects of technology, and two out of five think that cellphones are too complicated, the majority appear to be willing to try these devices and see how they can benefit from them. This is good news, but it is an important reminder to product designers that user interface and device complexity are important issues to be addressed if these devices are to be effective when used by seniors.