AT for the Aging Population
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, by 2035 there will be more people over the age of 65 in the United States than people under the age of 18. This shift in demographics is beginning to impact the country in many ways including impacting accessibility and assistive technology.
Assistive technology for older Americans is compounded by rapid technological advance and by training, familiarity, and comfort issues on the part of the users. Some digital “solutions” for acquired impairments may be good choices for people with more comfort with technology and very poor choices for others. Of course, not all AT is “technological” but digital solutions are becoming increasingly common.
Another challenge is that people who acquire impairment over time may not self-identify as having an impairment or disability and therefore may not seek out solutions to their problems. Resistance to the term “disability” is common when people have lived much of their lives seeing “the disabled” as someone else. Common challenges such as the loss of independence, connectedness, and influence can be mitigated by assistive technologies, but only by those who are well educated in the options available to them.
Aging is not an impairment and does not automatically lead to impairments, but it is associated with higher incidents of certain conditions such as:
- Vision loss associated with macular degeneration, cataracts, or glaucoma
- Hearing loss
- Cognitive changes such as dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, stroke
- Mobility challenges
- Chronic illness
Each condition is associated with different assistive technologies, and like with any other population, not everyone with a particular condition necessarily benefits from the same AT. Common AT for the aging population includes:
- Ride sharing or other transportation
- Magnification and lighting solutions to improve sight
- Large print
- Reading services
- Visual alert systems
- Hearing aids and amplification devices
- Captioning
- Recording devices
- Automatic and human reminders
- Modifications to make items easy to grasp
- Mobility devices
As with any population, one of the key advantages to assistive technologies is their ability to support independent living and self determination. Ironically, as individuals age they may be more likely to view AT as being a sign of dependence and may therefore reject solutions that can lead to a more independent life. This is a significant concern in this population, and organizations like the AARP are working to improve older Americans’ attitudes toward these devices through regular education.