A new report from Doro, the market leader in telephony for an aging population, has shown that contrary to popular belief, half of British seniors (50 per cent) are excited by new technologies and trust them to help in their everyday life. Despite this interest in technology, however, only 12 per cent of those surveyed have adopted tech-enabled personal aids such as safety alarms, apps and sensors. This is highlighted in the report “From walking frame to robots – a report about seniors and technology”, which is based on a European-wide research conducted by Novus and commissioned by Doro, which saw more than 1000 senior citizens interviewed in the UK.
Being able to live at home for as long as possible is an important goal for almost every senior, with Doro’s research highlighting it as a priority for 98 per cent of respondents. At the same time 15 per cent of the seniors say they feel insecure in their home. Seniors also worry about not being able to take care of themselves (38 per cent), burglary (26 per cent), forgetting things (28 per cent) and falling (24 per cent). New technology such as smart home solutions, if used, can increase seniors confidence in their own ability to live at home and make them feel safer and more secure. And seniors trust for this kind of solutions are high. 33 per cent of the seniors say they would trust smart home solutions and another 30 per cent say they would partly trust them.
As it stands, despite many seniors showing an interest in technology, overall usage of new technological aids in the UK is low today, with only one in ten seniors investing in safety alarms, cameras, sensors or health apps. Seniors using these kinds of products however, state to a large extent that the solution contributes to an increased safety. 46 per cent say their technical tools gives increased safety in their home.
“We have a strong belief that technology, if well designed, can improve seniors’ safety when at home and give them a better and more independent life. Our research reinforces this message, showing that there is a market and appetite for new technology among seniors. It´s now up to us, within the tech industry to focus on building solutions that are easy to use for those of all ages. We must also educate seniors so they can benefit more from the untapped potential of new technologies,” says Robert Puskaric, CEO of Doro.
The report also investigated European seniors’ attitude towards the digitalisation of healthcare in general. Even though there are some concerns that the human contact might decrease, that it could require more personal responsibility and that new technology might feel complicated, a big share of seniors are positive to the digitalisation. 42 percent of the European seniors think it´s good that the healthcare industry embraces technology. Among Britishseniors the same figure is 27 per cent.
To coincide with this research, Doro is launching a new safety alarm service for selected Doro mobile phones - Response by Doro. The service will be available via the My Doro app and can instantly connect a concerned senior with a Doro response centre at the push of a button, and at any time of day or night. The research indicates seniors will welcome this service, which has been designed for practicality and ease of use, and with the goal of making seniors feel safe when living on their own. The service also provides seniors with peace of mind without requiring additional equipment or complicated subscriptions.
Link to the report:
From walking frame to robots – a report about seniors and technology
