There’s a persistent assumption that older adults and technology don’t mix well. The data tells a different story. Technology for older adults has shifted dramatically over the past decade, and today’s retirees are texting, streaming, video calling, tracking their health, and exploring AI, often at the same rate as younger generations. At The Glen at Heather Farm, opening soon in Walnut Creek, California, that shift is part of what’s shaping how the community is being designed. Here’s a look at what people are actually using right now.
Technology for Older Adults Starts With Staying Connected
Staying in touch has always mattered. What’s changed is how it happens.
Texting is now the primary way adults 50-plus communicate, and social media use has remained consistent year over year. Facebook continues to be the most popular platform, giving older adults a way to stay connected with friends and join community groups .Platforms like Nextdoor keep them plugged into local happenings close to home. These aren’t just passive scrolling habits. Many are using these tools to make new friends, join neighborhood conversations, and stay engaged with their communities in a way that doesn’t require leaving the house.
Video calling has added something especially meaningful for grandparents. A FaceTime call can put a grandchild’s face on the screen from across the country. For families with busy schedules or long distances between them, that kind of connection would have been hard to imagine even fifteen years ago.
Health Tracking, Wearables, and Telemedicine
Health is where technology for older adults is growing the fastest. According to AARP, health-specific digital services are helping older adults monitor their health, with emergency alert devices and telemedicine leading the way. Caregivers are also embracing GPS devices, motion sensors, and digital services for food delivery, communication, shopping, and medical assistance (Kakulla, 2024).
Health-tracking apps and virtual fitness classes are also widely used, with many older adults incorporating wearables to monitor steps, heart rate, and sleep. This kind of proactive, daily health monitoring used to require a doctor’s office visit. Now a lot of it fits on your wrist.
Entertainment, Smart Home Devices, and YouTube University
Day-to-day life looks different too. Some of what technology for older adults now includes:
- Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime for movies and TV
- Online banking and shopping apps for managing finances and errands
- Digital maps and navigation for getting around confidently
- Smart home devices like Ring doorbells and Nest thermostats for safety and convenience
- YouTube for learning just about anything
YouTube has quietly become one of the most useful tools around, so much so that people have started calling it YouTube University. Want to learn to knit? Build shelves? Fix a leaky faucet? There’s a video for it. Older adults are using it to learn new skills, tackle home projects, and pick up hobbies they never had time for before.
Smart doorbells like Ring allow you to see who’s at the door from a phone, or check back on footage from a previous day. This isn’t just convenient. For people living alone or who are cautious about home security, it provides real peace of mind.
AI and What’s Coming
AI is the newest addition to the conversation around technology for older adults, and curiosity is growing quickly. Usage of generative AI among adults 50-plus doubled in a single year, and another 30 percent say they’re excited about where it’s headed (Kakulla, 2024).
Most are using free tools to get answers, assist with writing, or find health information. It’s worth staying informed about how AI can be misused, including tools like deepfakes that can be used to deceive. But for most older adults exploring it, AI is showing up as a genuinely useful everyday tool, not an intimidating technology to fear.
Technology for Older Adults at The Glen at Heather Farm
Technology for older adults isn’t a niche interest anymore. It’s part of daily life. The Glen at Heather Farm, opening soon in Walnut Creek, California, is being designed with that in mind. Future residents will have access to connectivity and amenities that support a tech-integrated lifestyle, whether that means video calling family, streaming a favorite show, managing health from a device, or simply staying connected to everything happening around them.
A community that supports how people actually live today is the idea behind it all.
To learn more about our retirement community opening soon, contact us
References
Kakulla, B. (December 2024). 2025 tech trends and adults 50+. AARP Research. https://doi.org/10.26419/res.00891.001
Frequently Asked Questions About Technology for Older Adults
Are older adults really using technology as much as younger generations?
In many areas, yes. Research shows adults 50-plus now own smartphones, tablets, and other devices at nearly the same rate as younger adults.
What types of technology are most popular among older adults?
Smartphones, smart TVs, streaming services, health-tracking apps, and video calling are among the most widely used. Smart home devices and AI tools are growing quickly as well.
Is AI safe for older adults to use?
Used thoughtfully, AI can be a helpful everyday tool. As with any technology, staying informed about how it works, and how it can be misused, is the best approach.