Seniors are growing more comfortable with tech

The technology divide between older and younger generations may not be as wide as you think. According to a recent survey of 1,000 seniors issued by Senior Helpers (www.seniorhelpers.com), aprovider of in-home senior care, more than 68 percent of people ages 65+ rate their technology skills either average or above average.

The survey, which examined seniors’ attitudes on everything from apps and internet usage to social media habits, also found that while most would not consider themselves “tech-savvy” (71 percent), nearly 60 percent of seniors think younger generations underestimate their knowledge and aptitude for technology.

“Technology is constantly evolving, but seniors are much more adept at using tech than many people give them credit for,” said Peter Ross, CEO and co-founder, Senior Helpers. “It’s become integral to so many other aspects of their lives, they are embracing it.”

The study findings show that about 39 percent of seniors utilize technology to help them get things done more efficiently, while 31 percent embrace it as a matter of “pure survival.” Senior Helpers’ survey also highlights more about how senior citizens are using technology:

° When asked what tech innovation they couldn’t live without, 29 percent of senior respondents reported a cell phone. Most (nearly 70 percent) use a smart phone, and 38 percent use an iPhone. However, 13 percent still don’t own a cell phone.

° TV followed closely at 27 percent, with iPad/tablet (almost 11 percent), CD/MP3 players/stereos (6 percent) and GPS (4.5 percent) trailing further behind.

° Thirty-two percent of seniors spend more than 20 hours a week on the internet, with 10 percent of those online for 40-plus hours per week.

° More than half of seniors use Facebook as their social media site of choice. Less than 8 percent of seniors combined favor Pinterest, Instagram or Twitter.

° When it comes to app usage, seniors use social media apps the most (almost 23 percent), followed by maps/navigation services (17 percent), online banking (14 percent) and games (8 percent).