A recent survey conducted by Michigan State University found that senior citizens are more engaged with social media than many would have expected. The survey took responses from about 600 seniors, with the average age being 68.
The results showed that 95% of the respondents were somewhat or very satisfied with social technologies.
The lead researcher, William Chopik, said, “Despite the attention that the digital divide has garnered in recent years, a large proportion of older adults use technology to maintain their social networks and make their lives easier.”
It has long been assumed that the elderly were resistant to modern technologies, which has led many marketers to essentially ignore them when planning out their businesses. This may be a huge mistake. As more and more research is being done, it is clear that seniors are quickly catching up with how much they use the Internet for things like shopping, social media, and more.
During the study, it was also found that seniors using social media tended to have reduced feelings of loneliness, better physical and mental health, and other advantages over those who don’t use social media. Helping seniors to learn more about what they can do online, not only with social media but with all other areas, is certainly well worth the effort in the long run.
You can see the report HERE.
