The news media often report that older Americans are adopting the Internet and broadband faster than any other age group--but it could be they just have farther to go.
According to the latest report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 38 percent of U.S. adults age 65 and older are online as of December 2009, compared to 74 percent of the general population and 70 percent of adults in the next oldest age group (50-64 years old). In addition, only 26 percent of adults in the 65-and-older age group have broadband access at home, compared to 60 percent of all adults and 56 percent of adults 50-64 years old.
Older Internet users are also more likely to limit their online activities to email and search, less inclined than other adults to experiment with social media (such as Twitter, Facebook and Google Buzz), and far less likely to go mobile. The most recent Pew Internet Project data [pdf] shows that only 16 percent of U.S. adults 65 and older use wireless technology (laptop computers or handheld devices) to go online, compared to 55 percent of all U.S. adults.
At the same time, the population is aging rapidly. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2030 the number of people who are 65 and older will be growing faster than the total population in every state--and 26 states will have doubled their senior population.
Given the dramatically higher number of people just shy of 65 who are already going online and using broadband technology at home, the percentage of seniors 65 and older is sure to start soaring and breaking records very soon.
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Great topic..industries that figure out how to help older persons make the transition will be king.
I am surprised that more seniors aren’t actively involved in social media. I think that will change over time.