1.
Older adults and technology
Kathryn Zickuhr
Research Associate, Pew Research Center’s Internet Project
April 29, 2014
JASA – New York, NY
@kzickuhr | @pewinternet | @pewresearch

2.
April 29, 2014 2www.pewinternet.org
About Pew Research Center
Does not promote specific technologies or make
policy recommendations
pewresearch.org/internet
@pewresearch (all topics)
@pewinternet (internet & tech)
Data in this talk based on nationally representative
telephone surveys of U.S. adults

3.
Most seniors own cell phones and computers,
but mobile devices are still catching on
3www.pewinternet.org
January 2014 data
78%
62%
22% 25%
92%
75%
55%
42%
Cell phone Desktop/laptop Smartphone Tablet
Seniors 65+ All adults 18+
April 29, 2014

4.
www.pewinternet.org
Older adults and the internet
• 59% of adults ages 65+ use the internet
• Once seniors are online, it becomes a regular part
of their lives:
• 71% go online every day
• 82% go online at least weekly
April 29, 2014

5.
5www.pewinternet.org
September 2013 data
74
68
47
37 39
90
65-69 70-74 75-79 80+ < $30k
/year
$75k+
/year
Among seniors, internet use varies by
age and household income
April 29, 2014

6.
March 26, 2014 www.pewinternet.org
Most offline
seniors say
they would
need help if
they wanted
to go online
in the future
May 2013 - Among adults ages 65 and older who do not
use the internet or email (n=214)
Would need help
66%
Don’t know/
refused (3%)
Would not want
to start (VOL.)
16%
Know enough
to do it on my
own (13%)

7.
March 26, 2014 www.pewinternet.org
Data from upcoming OATS/NYLS report
Top motivations for getting online:
Among online seniors ages 65+
• 75% - Easier to communicate with family and
friends
• 58% - Shopping
• 53% - Health information
Fewer rank managing finances, finding bargains, or following
community news as highly, though many say they are important overall.

8.
www.pewinternet.org
Data from upcoming OATS/NYLS report
• Once online, 56% say it would be “very hard” to
give up the internet
• Value the internet most for communicating with
family and friends, vs commerce or info
However, email > social media (though SNS
use is growing)
April 29, 2014

9.
www.pewinternet.org
Most online seniors use email, though
half now use SNS
88
51
46
27
Online seniors All seniors (including offline)
Email Social networking sites
April 29, 2014

10.
7/1/2014 www.pewinternet.org
Among seniors who
go online*, 56%
would need help if
they wanted to use
social networking
sites to connect with
friends or family.
*but do not currently use social networking sites
September 2013 data

11.
7/1/2014 www.pewinternet.org
Seniors who use
social networking
sites socialize more
frequently with
friends and family
members— even
when even after
controlling for factors
like age and income.
September 2013 data

12.
www.pewinternet.org
Thank you!
Kathryn Zickuhr
Pew Research Center’s Internet Project
kzickuhr@pewresearch.org
twitter.com/kzickuhr
More information:
Older Adults and Technology Use
http://pewinternet.org/2014/04/03/older-adults-and-technology-use/
Who’s Not Online and Why
http://pewinternet.org/2013/09/25/whos-not-online-and-why/
April 29, 2014