By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    physical health
    5 Ways Playing Games Can Improve Neural and Physical Health
    September 9, 2022
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    Reasons For Hair Loss and Its Treatment
    February 16, 2022
    healthcare organization
    5 Actionable Strategies For Healthcare Organizations
    August 15, 2022
    Latest News
    6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
    September 10, 2025
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    5 Basic Types Of Eye Tests That Are Part Of An Eye Exam
    September 24, 2018
    Knowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace | Healthcare Career Resources
    Knowledge About Malpractice Lawsuits Can Give You Some Peace
    September 18, 2020
    How Your Job Can Impact Your Health
    December 11, 2018
    Latest News
    Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
    September 9, 2025
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Hello from Boomer Voice Suzie Mitchell: Boomers and Digital Devices
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > eHealth > Hello from Boomer Voice Suzie Mitchell: Boomers and Digital Devices
eHealthNewsSpecialties

Hello from Boomer Voice Suzie Mitchell: Boomers and Digital Devices

Suzie Mitchell
Suzie Mitchell
Share
7 Min Read
Image
SHARE

Image

Hello from Boomer Voice!

This special column at HealthWorks Collective is a place for everyone in the digital healthcare arena to share ideas.  You don’t have to be a Baby Boomer to engage here: you just need to care about Boomers and their health. 

We want product developers involved because they are the ones who design the digital devices that will help us manage our health and age in place independently. 

More Read

Person-Centered HealthCare: How mHealth Technologies Are Benefiting Patients
5 Technologies That Are Shaping the Future of Dental Care
Patient Survey Shows How Patients Use Online Information
High Quality, Low Cost HealthCare Video Interview Series: Daniel Wolfson and The Choosing Wisely Campaign
Making Health Addictive: Use the Sentinel Effect [VIDEO]

Image

Hello from Boomer Voice!

This special column at HealthWorks Collective is a place for everyone in the digital healthcare arena to share ideas.  You don’t have to be a Baby Boomer to engage here: you just need to care about Boomers and their health. 

We want product developers involved because they are the ones who design the digital devices that will help us manage our health and age in place independently. 

Please connect with us.  Comment on our blogs, send us ideas for future posts, and help us make this a destination for Boomers and digital healthcare.

As a Baby Boomer, and digital health and fitness junkie, my mission is to talk about trends and topics that interest the 50+ audience.

Boomer Health Talk

 To begin, let me share a glimpse of what’s happening inside convention halls around the country when the conversation focuses on Boomers and Healthcare.

Connected health, mhealth, Baby Boomers and chronic disease seemed to be constantly linked at digital device conferences.  Proud 30-something developers display mobile apps, websites, and monitoring sensors  promising to help the 50+ audience live happier, healthier and longer, independent lives. boomers digital devices

They share their stories of helping their grandparents connect to loved ones via easy Facebook type applications.  They explain how a cool looking digital device will help a “senior” whom they say is 50+ from feeling isolated.  They show how wearing ear buds connected to a smart phone should be accepted by hard of hearing Boomers at restaurants or dinner parties.

Why the Interest in Boomers?

  • It could be because the entire group of 78 million American Boomers is over 50-years-old, and the whole crowd will be over 65 by 2030.  Giant marketplace.
  • It could be that after the age of 50, a majority of consumers experience common age-related conditions including memory loss, vision and hearing impairment, and arthritis. Huge need.
  • It could be because 72% of Boomers suffer from one or more chronic diseases, and the same percentage have broadband internet in their homes.   Major connectivity possibilities.
  • It could be by age 65,  20 percent have five or more chronic diseases, see 14 physicians — and average 40 doctor visits a year.  Large medical opportunities.
  •  It could be because  Parks Associates’ recent research for AARP shows  there is a cumulative revenue in excess of $20 billion in the 50+ health care market over the next five years (2013-18).  Massive potential.

Go to our Boomer Voice exclusive infographic for a great view of Boomer stats!

It could be for any and/or all of these reasons. As a Boomer I’m grateful for the developer’s ingenious thinking.  But on behalf of Boomers everywhere—I’m giving a shout out to these developers and asking them to  please listen to us before  building  products they think we will use.  Boomers are NOT a “build it and we will come” audience.

Why Boomers Aren’t Adopting Mhealth Technology & Ways to Get them to Action

The AARP free report study noted that although the Boomer market is ripe for penetration, there are major stumbling blocks for this group to adopt the latest healthcare technology.

The findings include:

  • Poor design and aesthetics, which limits usability and consumer demand.
    • If a Boomer can’t download a consumer app without assistance, he/she isn’t going to use it.  Don’t count on younger family members to help them.  Many Boomers live far away from their extremely busy Millennial children.
    • The inability of devices to share data via the Internet or with other devices, which limits the utility of collected data.
      • This is important on so many levels.  Boomers want fitness apps to integrate with weight loss apps and sync with their digital devices.  Right now, Digifit does this for fitness, but it is needed on other health management tools too.
    • High cost of direct-to-consumer solutions, pricing many older consumers out of the market.
      • There are numerous products that are offered for $30-$40 per month.  Add those up and soon a person can spend more than $100 a month on devices—much too costly for retirees.
    • Low awareness among mature consumers of many cutting-edge solutions and services.
      • Since most of the 50+ audience isn’t reading  TechCrunch ,  Mashable, Business Insider, or tech blogs, the group doesn’t know these digital products exist. 
      • Like the famous American outlaw Jesse James replied when asked why he robbed banks, “because that’s where the money is. “  Developers need to market their products in publications that Boomers are already reading.

The conversation between talented developers and Boomers is in full swing.  Now the fine turning needs to occur where the groups merge their expertise, interests, and needs to help reshape the digital healthcare experience for the nation’s aging population. 

Please comment below or ask a question or suggest a topic for discussion! 

TAGGED:Boomer Voice
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

a woman walking on the hallway
6 Easy Healthcare Ways to Sit Less and Move More Every Day
Health
September 9, 2025
Clinical Expertise
Healthcare at a Crossroads: Why Leadership Matters More Than Ever
Global Healthcare
September 9, 2025
travel nurse in north carolina
Balancing Speed and Scope: Choosing the Nursing Degree That Fits Your Goals
Nursing
September 1, 2025
intimacy
How to Keep Intimacy Comfortable as You Age
Relationship and Lifestyle Senior Care
September 1, 2025

You Might also Like

SpecialtiesWellness

How To Motivate Yourself To Go To The Gym After Work

June 25, 2019

Study on How “Jail Breaker” Cancer Cells Escape Tumors and Spread Through the Body

April 29, 2013
health journalism
Medical EducationNewsPolicy & Law

Grading Media Coverage: Gary Schwitzer Holds Health Journalists’ Feet to the Fire

March 26, 2013
The Future of Integrated Health Care
BusinessNews

Video: What Will Healthcare Look Like in 2017?

January 6, 2012
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?