The rise in smartphone usage among older adults has been remarkable in the past decade. According to the AARP 2024 trend study, a striking 89% of individuals aged 50 and above now own a smartphone. This surge in ownership is particularly notable among those in the 60-69 and 70-plus age brackets, indicating a significant shift in how older generations are embracing technology. The convenience and connectivity offered by smartphones have made them an essential tool for many, allowing older adults to stay in touch with family and friends, access information, and engage with the digital world.
Almost all adults aged 50 and above are now using their smartphones to access a wide array of digital services, such as browsing the internet, using communication apps, shopping online, checking the weather, navigating, and engaging on social media. The patterns of usage are quite comparable between those aged 50-59 and those over 60, although there are some differences in how they interact with these services. For example, individuals in the 50-59 age bracket might be more inclined to explore internet content and utilize professional networking platforms like LinkedIn, while those aged 60 and older often prioritize communication and social media sites like Facebook. While this trend of smartphone usage is beneficial in keeping older adults socially active and connected, it also exposes them to potential risks such as fraud and scams.
A recent National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan in November 2023 revealed some concerning statistics regarding online and phone fraud targeting older adults. It found that a staggering 75% of individuals aged 50 to 80 have encountered scam attempts through various channels such as phone calls, texts, or emails, with 30% of those surveyed admitting to falling victim to fraud. The poll also highlighted a troubling correlation between health and vulnerability to fraud, showing that those with poorer physical and mental health were more likely to experience fraud—50% compared to 38% among those in better health. In response to this growing issue, both the federal government and AARP have launched initiatives aimed at educating older adults on fraud prevention measures, as well as working to improve the capabilities of government agencies and banking systems to detect and prevent fraudulent activities. SimpliTend is also stepping in to use technology, with an emphasis on improving smartphone security for senior consumers.
The challenge with smartphones is that they have become a ubiquitous commodity, often designed to cater to a broad audience with a one-size-fits-all approach. Leading companies like Apple and Samsung generally release one or two smartphone models each year, a strategy aimed at enhancing production efficiency and reducing manufacturing costs. To attract a broad range of consumers, these manufacturers often create devices that serve multiple purposes, integrating a vast selection of applications to meet diverse user requirements. While this approach has successfully increased profits and lowered expenses for these companies, it has also created significant challenges for older adults, making smartphones less intuitive and secure. As a result, seniors find themselves facing a dilemma: they can choose to switch to simpler devices with larger buttons and fewer features or stick with their current smartphones, which come with their own set of risks. Unfortunately, neither choice fully meets their needs, as many seniors still wish to utilize essential functionalities and third-party apps, such as social media, medication reminders, and health management tools, to be socially connected and independent.
At SimpliTend, we believe that smartphones can be incredibly beneficial tools for seniors, helping them tackle everyday challenges while promoting their independence and ensuring their safety. We are also of the opinion that replacing a senior's smartphone with a less functional device does not promote their sense of independence. Our remote care mobile applications are designed with the understanding that seniors, even when they are home alone, want to continue their daily activities and maintain their routines. SimpliTend mobile applications empower seniors to personalize their smartphones, ensuring their safety while enabling them to access the features they desire. SimpliTend senior and caregiver apps improve the safety of existing smartphones for elders in the following ways:
User-friendly dashboard: The SimpliTend senior app is intended to make smartphones more accessible to older adults by providing a user-friendly dashboard. This interface has five large buttons for making calls, messaging family caregivers, accessing friendly apps, directions to home, and SOS.
Ability to block unwanted or spam calls: When installing the senior app, users are invited to build a brief list of contacts, including family members and friends, with a default limit of ten that can be expanded to fifty. Users can also indicate their relationship with each contact, which is extremely useful for people with memory problems. Once the call-blocking feature is enabled, any incoming calls from numbers not on the family and friend list are blocked and routed to voicemail, ensuring that only calls from those contacts are allowed through.
Ability to restrict access to certain applications: Seniors and their family caregivers can prevent specific applications from starting, which is especially useful for preventing access to banking apps and those that display a lot of sponsored links.
preprogrammed SOS button that can be customized to contact a family member or friend without needing to dial.
Link their smartphone to a family member or friend for assistance when needed: SimpliTend offers two mobile applications: one for seniors and one for their family caregivers. These apps work together to facilitate remote care for family caregivers. The caregivers receive alerts when it is time for seniors to take their medications, prepare for activities, or if there is an emergency (senior dialed SOS). Additionally, caregivers are notified if seniors need help finding their way home or if they wander too far from home.
Personalized Care Plan: The SimpliTend smartphone app assists seniors and their caregivers to develop a comprehensive personalized care plan. The plan includes essential elements such as health information, daily needs, dietary requirements, primary physician contact information, hospital information, medication management, social activities, and medical appointments. This information is saved in the senior app and can be accessed and updated remotely by the family caregiver.
Reminders to charge their phones: SimpliTend senior app sends an alert to the caregiver when the senior phone battery goes below 25%.
For older adults, independence represents their life accomplishments and ability to care for themselves. This independence stems from their experience, resilience, and ability to overcome life's challenges. At SimpliTend, we strongly believe that seniors should preserve their independence as long as it does not compromise their safety. This belief is reflected in our mobile applications, which empower seniors to keep using their smartphones with ease. Moreover, SimpliTend mobile apps are designed to meet the unique health and cognitive needs of each individual senior.
