Ageism can be defined in many different ways. Those who are aging will describe it one way, while commercial ventures seem to have another point of view.
One example is the upcoming National Grandparents Day on Sept. 8. How many ads have you seen urging you to honor grandparents with flowers, gift cards, jewelry or brunch?
Me neither.
Nor is this the only ship sailing away unnoticed by various business ventures. The headline in a recent story in The Christian Science Monitor says it all: "Age tech is exploding. The modern grandma market wants more than health aids."
About 62 million people are aged 65 or older in the United States – close to 20% of the population. It is the wealthiest age group and accounted for 22% of spending in 2022, up from 15% in 2010, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s consumer expenditures survey. Technology spending by people older than 50 is expected to grow to $623 billion per year by 2050, according to recent research by AARP.
62 million people 65 or older, with 22% of national spending ability. One would think retailers and smart investors would hop on this gravy train ASAP. So where are the ads geared toward my age group?
Aging ads have improved. I will never forget the ad I saw in a senior publication in Texas with the headline that read, ”Do You Leak?” While people of any age can have bladder issues, this was, in my opinion, the best way to make me want to create my own disposable diapers out of newspaper, before I would ever buy one of theirs.
The same article in The Christian Science Monitor quotes another recent AARP study that reveals a new reality about older people and tech: “Americans over 50 own smartphones at roughly the rate consumers ages 18 to 49 do. Even among those ages 70-plus, 61% say they “have the digital skills necessary to fully take advantage of being online.” Video gaming is also widespread among older adults; most play logic, puzzle, or card games on their smartphones, but more are purchasing gaming consoles in recent years.”
Older people are generally more skeptical of artificial intelligence and more concerned about data privacy, and they might need higher contrast or larger text on websites, but many regularly download and use digital apps and platforms much as younger generations do.
The age 65-plus population skews female, and many in this demographic are fitness-conscious, tech-savvy women who enjoy traveling and spending time with friends and loved ones. As their numbers swell, they’re bringing to life a new vision of old age, garnering such online descriptors as “modern grandma” and “glam-ma.”
Now you’re talking my language.
Just as older women-run companies have created make-up products specifically for older women, the tech world is catching on to the reality of our aging population.
And applications for specific problems are also gaining fans. One Lions Low Vision Resource Center consultant claims that she has 99 applications on her phone just for visual aids. The Low Vision Group members who meet at the Olympia Senior Center share the phone apps they have discovered and mastered with everyone who attends their meetings.
As for myself, I play several games on my phone, professing to keep my mind sharp. Whether or not this is a scientific fact, I enjoy and do it during my downtime. It is also where I get my daily news, as print news becomes harder and harder to come by. It is at my fingertips when I want it, and most of it is free.
Another helpful phone app, usually by email, is keeping track of senior discount days offered by our local businesses. After all, who doesn’t like to save money? And if I can save money by scanning a digital square in their ad instead of cutting out and keeping track of coupons, why wouldn’t I want to do it the easy way?
And I particularly liked a post I recently saw on Facebook. It read "Don’t make fun of me because I ask for help on the computer. I taught you how to use a spoon.” My grandchildren are my go-to computer experts, but senior centers now offer free computer and phone classes. The tech world has discovered us – can the jewelry, clothing and foodies vendors be far behind?
Kathleen Anderson writes this column each week from her home in Olympia. Contact her at kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comments.
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GinnyAnn
No kidding. Just yesterday I was in Safeway bemoaning the business decision to change from paper coupons to a digital app. The kind young woman behind the Starbucks counter took time to explain to me how the Safeway app worked (nobody in line behind me, thank goodness). The random Safeway man in the aisle had told me he "had no idea" how it worked when I asked him for help. I used to be able to program a computer and teach others how to use new software, but now feel clueless when technology changes faster than I can keep up with it. I do have a patient and helpful son who helps me figure out emergency weirdness on my iPhone and Mac. And yes, I did teach him to use a spoon, but he built his first computer from random parts when he was still tiny. When new business changes are decided, why don't those businesses have someone available to show customers how to use the new technology? Surely, even younger people might not grasp the complexity the first time it appears on the phone? Or is there a magic code that everyone but me understands and where can I buy the code book?
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