Technology use has increased for many adults in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and seniors are no exception. Seniors still aren’t the highest demographic when it comes to being technological savvy. However, a recent survey by Healthinsurance.com dispels the notion that most seniors can’t make head or tails out of everyday tech, such as fitness trackers and web-based health resources.
The survey was conducted online and polled 1,000 Medicare-eligible Americans aged 64 and up. The results show that 61% of those seniors embraced the use of technology during the pandemic. Of all survey participants, 89% have a smartphone, 68% have a tablet device, and 50% have spent more time video chatting since the start of COVID-19.
When it comes to health tech, 28% use wearable health monitoring devices, such as an Apple Watch or FitBit. That’s only a 13 point difference from Americans between the age of 18-64, according to another Healthinsurance.com survey conducted in June, in which 41% of participants said they use a wearable health monitor.
Thirty-four percent of seniors polled said they order prescriptions from an online pharmacy. And trust in health tech appears strong among seniors; 43% said they would use a wearable device that helps maintain social distancing guidelines by sending alerts when people get too close to one another.
Nearly half of the seniors reported that they have used telemedicine services since the beginning of the pandemic. This is a 300% increase in telemedicine usage since before the crisis hit the U.S. However, it’s not surprising when you consider that 90% of those polled only saw their providers in person before COVID-19. More significantly, 43% say they plan to continue using telehealth services once the pandemic has ended.
In addition to technology, survey respondents answered questions about Medicare usage and preferences, healthcare costs, and the upcoming U.S. presidential election.
