nielsenwire: 17.5million seniors online in 2009, 10% of all internet users, 55% growth in segment (0116)

Six Million More Seniors Using the Web than Five Years Ago
December 10, 2009

While people 65 and older still make up less than 10 percent of the active Internet universe, their numbers are on the rise. In the last five years, the number of seniors actively using the Internet has increased by more than 55 percent, from 11.3 million active users in November 2004 to 17.5 million in November 2009. Among people 65+, the growth of women in the last five years has outpaced the growth of men by 6 percentage points.

Not only are more people 65 and older heading online, but they are also spending more time on the Web. Time spent on the Internet by seniors increased 11 percent in the last five years, from approximately 52 hours per month in November 2004 to just over 58 hours in 2009.

“The over 65 crowd represents about 13% of the total population and with this increase in online usage, they are beginning to catch up with their offline numbers,” notes Chuck Schilling, research director, agency & media, Nielsen’s online division. “Looking at what they’re doing online, it makes sense they’re engaged in many of the same activities that dominate other age segments – e-mail, sharing photos, social networking, checking out the latest news and weather – and it’s worth noting that a good percentage of them are spending time with age-appropriate pursuits such as leisure travel, personal health care and financial concerns.”

doug anderson, nielsenwire: the graying of the middle class — medical marketeers size up new profit potentials of elder care (0115)

Aging Puts a Wrinkle in the U.S. Marketplace
by Doug Anderson
December 16, 2009

SUMMARY: The recent recession has already wiped out a decade of growth in the U.S. The number of jobs in the country is almost the same as it was in 1999, and the S&P 500 index is in almost the exact place it was in 1999. Home ownership, which rose rapidly in the 2000s, is at about the same point today due to foreclosures. The numbers of Americans who have investments in stocks and bonds has also dropped. Incomes have been flat or have fallen in constant dollars for the majority of American households. Growth will be hard to come by both now and in the coming decades—successful marketers in 2010 will factor the U.S. shifting demographic profile into the marketing mix.

It all begins with aging. U.S. fertility rates have fallen by 44% since the peaks of the Baby Boom and are projected to continue to fall by another 12% over the next several decades. Falling fertility, combined with rising life expectancy and the large Baby Boom generation just nearing retirement age, equates to an aging population. By 2037, nearly one in three households in the U.S. will be headed by someone over the age of 65. Aging, however, is only the most obvious impact. There are five other key trends fostered by aging that will completely alter the marketplace for consumer products:

(after the jump)

laurie orloff, aging in place tech watch: ten 2010 trends in elder care (0114)

2009 Spawned Ten Aging in Place Trends to Watch in 2010
Aging in Place Tech business potential
by Laurie Orlov
12/21/2009

It’s the end of the year and time for that wrap-up of the indicators from 2009 that will drive trends for 2010 — what it all means — more analysis on another day.

1. Location-aware tech enables more info, greater safety. GPS became even more useful in 2009. Verizon replaced its Chaperone service with Family Locator, The Alzheimer’s Association introduced its ComfortZone (powered by OmniLink), several other tracking technology vendors launched, and location-based mapping and direction technologies, 2009 was a good GPS-enabled year.

charles emlet, J HIV/AIDS & soc serv (informaworld): HIV/AIDS service orgs 5X more effective in reaching HIVers over 50 than elder service orgs (0113)

Knowledge and Use of AIDS and Aging Services by Older, HIV-Infected Adults
Author: Charles A. Emlet
Affiliation: Social Work and a Hartford Scholar in Geriatric Social Work at the University of Washington, Tacoma, USA
Appearing in: Journal of HIV/AIDS & Social Services, Volume 3, Issue 1 June 2004 , pages 9 – 24
Also incorporating: Journal of HIV/AIDS Prevention in Children & Youth

ABSTRACT

Older adults living with HIV/AIDS require a complex array of services. Such needs can be addressed both by the service network developed for HIV as well as the network developed for older persons. This study of adults, age 50 and over with HIV/AIDS (N = 41), compared the knowledge and use of services commonly available from the HIV network as well as the aging network. The study sample had similar knowledge of HIV services and services designed for older adults. These individuals, however, used a significantly higher number of services provided through the HIV network (mean of 2.61 services) compared to the aging network (mean of .68 services). Predictors for service use varied across systems. While the primary predictor of HIV service use was awareness, Medicaid eligibility and living arrangements were predictive of use of services from the aging network.

social workers “help starts here” site: link resources for HIV/AIDS & aging (0112)

HIV/AIDS Current Trends – The Aging of HIV
Reviewed by NASW Center of Workforce Studies Staff

	HIV/AIDS and Older Adults
	What Are the Transmission Risks for Older Adults?
	Sexual Activity
	Injection Drug Use
	What Are Barriers to Intervention?
	Stigma
	How Social Workers Can Help
	Facilitating Discussions About HIV/AIDs