Healthcare Looks To Capitalize On Senior Smartphone Usage

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

As more and more seniors use smartphones, healthcare seeks ways to capitalize.

A Nielson study found that as of the first quarter of 2014, a majority of Americans of all age groups own smartphones. Perhaps most surprisingly, 51 percent of adults over the age of 55 now own one, a jump of 10 percent from 2013, driving the growth in smartphone penetration to seven out of 10 Americans overall. And smartphone penetration continues to grow every day, with 85 percent of recent acquirers picking smartphones when purchasing new handsets.

The growing usage of smartphones by the over-55 set has important implications for healthcare as the number of healthcare apps is quickly multiplying. This could become an important outlet for managing patient care and progress, as more seniors turn to their mobile technology to access their healthcare providers.

The Wall Street Journal details a number of the most useful mobile apps healthcare providers are using, including several that might be perfect for the senior patient crowd. They include a pulse monitoring app, a portable heart monitor and app, and a breast cancer diagnosis app – all of which could be utilized by older patients to monitor their progress and connect with their healthcare providers more efficiently.

Sunrise Senior Living weighs in as well, writing, “Senior citizens are one of the fastest growing demographics to embrace technology.” It lists 10 apps that the senior market would find beneficial, including MedWatcher.

“This app allows senior citizens to follow up on medical treatments, and it can even provide access to support and help from its online community. The self-monitoring function can empower you to track your own medical progress. Medisafe Virtual Pillbox functions in a similar manner, reminding you when to take medications.”