How Tech Can Meet the Needs of Active Adults

By 2040, 80 million Americans will be 65 or older – that’s almost a quarter of the population. Many members of this group are reluctant to explore senior living. While they’re looking for the social opportunities community living offers, so-called “active adults” don’t need the health assistance traditional senior living options provide.

Active adult communities cater to this demographic by offering a community environment while empowering members to live independently. Technology is key to striking this balance. Here are three ways tech can foster the kind of experience that entices the sought-after active adult demographic. 

1. A Digital Platform Drives Community Engagement

Active adult communities bustle with activities and events. From physical activities, like golf and water aerobics, to social events, like wine nights and pottery painting, members have a busy calendar to keep track of.

A digital community engagement platform makes it possible to organize and share events, updates, and offerings in one easily accessible place. The right platform lets active adults…

• Create, plan, and organize events.
• Post messages and pictures.
• Access video playlists (e.g., with exercise or cooking videos).
• Find nearby dining options.
• File maintenance requests.
• Complete resident forms like pet registration, move-in information, or vacation notification.  

Active adult community offerings are centered around vibrant social events and opportunities to connect. A digital platform provides a convenient home base for resident resources.

2. Wearable Tech Lets Active Adults Monitor Their Own Health

While community-wide tech platforms keep everyone connected, active adults can use personal tech to monitor their health and prolong their independence. That’s one reason wearable health monitoring devices have grown in popularity over the last several years, especially for older adults.

A recent study showed that wearable tech offers older adults the biggest benefits when the device aligns closely with the user’s needs. Before investing in a gadget, active adults should consider their fitness levels and lifestyle habits.

For example, an especially active member may use a wellness tracker like an Apple Watch or FitBit to track steps, log exercise minutes, or even connect with friends.

A community member with a mild heart-related condition might use a wireless EKG monitor or a bluetooth blood pressure monitor to regularly check their vitals. If symptoms or measurements are out of the normal threshold, the device can alert the user to contact a healthcare professional.

Individual use of wearables can flow up to community-wide health. For example, communities can organize daily step goals or exercise minute competitions.

3. Smart Home Tech Supports Independence and Community

Used right, smart home technologies can help prolong independence for active adult community members.

Fall detection and remote assist, for example, might give residents and their family members the peace of mind they need to continue living alone as they age. And living alone is becoming more common: by 2038, an estimated 10.1 million single-person households will be occupied by people 80 years or older, compared with just 4.7 million today.

Other smart home features (automated blind raising, for example) can make it easy for adults with minor physical impairments to live independently longer than they would in analog homes.

And a voice assistant like Amazon Alexa empowers active adults to do everything from check the weather to receive community calendar updates to listen to music and podcasts.

Community leaders can encourage adoption of this independence-prolonging tech by providing demos and distributing information about various solutions.

Integrate Modern Tech to Cater to Active Adults’ Priorities

While older adults were once slow to adopt new technology, active adult communities need robust tech integrations to attract new tech-savvy members. With the help of a trusted tech partner, your community can integrate solutions that meet your members’ expectations.

Caremerge offers a number of solutions to engage with active adults and build a strong community. If you’re looking to learn more about how tech solutions can support your active adult community,