According to Fundación Mapfre, technology has opened up new opportunities and benefits for people of all ages, including the elderly. According to the latest data from the ‘III Senior Consumer Barometer’ conducted by Fundación Mapfre’s Agingnomics Research Center, 70% of the population over the age of 55 are on the Internet, which is the key to stay connected, access information, transact. and participate in social activities among others.
The report suggests that 99% of these digital seniors are connected to their mobile phones and are regular users of the most popular applications, such as WhatsApp, used by 64% of those over 55, followed by 62%, who use Facebook, 57% who use Gmail, and 38% who use Instagram.
These statistics reveal this group’s participation and interest in the main social networks and messaging applications, and also reflect the use of other tools such as YouTube, used by 69% of seniors, and Google Maps (52%). They also show that the prejudice that associates older adults with analog people is long gone, especially considering that the number of seniors active on the Internet has increased by one million people in just one year. Juan Fernandez explains, “For perspective, since 2017, the number of digital seniors has doubled, and there are currently eleven million users over the age of 55, who use technology not only for information, but They also plan training, shopping and travel.” Palacios, director of the Agingnomics Research Center.
Despite these positive data, there is still a more frequent disconnection interval with aging, which can be attributed to less familiarity with these devices and the pace of technological progress, which undoubtedly represents a challenge.
In-Person and Online Events
Fundación Mapfre organizes the cycle ‘Seniors Facing the Digital Gap’ to discuss the search for inclusive and effective solutions for seniors in a digital world.
The meeting will take place on Friday, May 26, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in Valencia, at EDEM’s headquarters, Business School, Marina de Empresas, Plaça de Laigua.
Juan Fernandez Palacios, director of the Agingnomics Research Center; Iñaki Ortega, Professor and Advisor at the Agingnomics Research Center; Hortensia Roig, President of EDEM; Alberto Granados, President of Microsoft Spain; Alejandra Kindelon, President of the Spanish Banking Association (AEB); Tony Panos, director of senior management programs at EDEM, and Vanessa Escriva, corporate director of technology at Mapfre.
