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Health and Wellness

Disrupting Aging: New Products and Services for a New Generation of Seniors

As baby boomers age, innovation within the aging industry is a necessity. This is a new generation of seniors who expect quality, comfort, and convenience that will take care of all of their needs. There is an incredible new level of technology available that should be fully and creatively exploited in order to provide boomers with the lifestyles they expect as they grow older. Many industry trends have already arisen in areas of speed, mobility, comfort, fashion, safety, independence, and individual choice.

Here are some of the latest trends in each of these market areas:

1. No Need for Age to Slow Things Down

Today’s seniors are technology-savvy. They understand just how fast the internet can run and all the different ways it can connect them to the people they love the most. From smart phone technology that keeps their health information in the palm of their hands to video calls with loved ones across the world, seniors need technology that keeps their lives moving quickly. Many apps and programs, such as MedWatcher, Find my iPad, or Words With Friends, have been designed to offer just that.

2. Mobility Is a Critical Issue

As baby boomers age, they’re discovering that it’s harder to get around. Making accommodations for that particular symptom of aging, however, can make them feel old—and that’s the last thing that baby boomers want! Mobility products aimed at making it easier for seniors to get around without weighing them down with the stigma of aging are a priority for many seniors. Equally important is long-distance mobility in spite of slowing reflexes and decreased eyesight: driverless vehicles are one product currently in development—projected by Tesla CEO Elon Musk to be here by 2018— to enhance senior mobility.

3. Comfort Stays in the Front Seat

Seniors want the available benefits, but they want them without sacrificing comfort. This generation is used to comfort and luxury, and they expect that to continue throughout the aging process. Increasing senior comfort is an important aspect of the senior care industry, from providing the innovations they need to continue aging in place—even when health concerns start to take priority—to offering services or technologies that will make it easier for them to handle daily care tasks, such as WalkJoy or Respondesign.

4. Fashion Doesn’t Disappear with Age

Seniors don’t have to give up fashion! There are several fashion lines that are aimed at allowing seniors to look their best. Seniors today aren’t sitting at home in shapeless dresses and pants that come up to their chests. Instead, they’re taking on the world—and they’re continuing to express their unique style as they do it. Classic designs—as well as some outrageous signature pieces mature women will add to their wardrobe to define their character—are a critical part of the fashion industry.

5. Safety and Independence Go Hand in Hand

Most baby boomers are holding on to their independence as hard as they can. They understand that their bodies are no longer as young as they once were, but they’re tackling those limitations and looking for innovations that will make it safe for them to maintain their independence for as long as possible. Home renovations such as increased lighting, changed appliances or bathtubs, and single-level flooring plans can make it easier and safer for seniors to remain in their homes, while larger buttons, handles instead of knobs, and easily accessible storage can make normal tasks easier.

6. Individual Choice: Everyone Is Different

One senior isn’t necessarily anything like the next. The baby boomer generation has defined individual choice, and that desire continues throughout the later years of their lives. They expect to be able to continue to personalize their experiences and their expectations, from their travel plans to their home designs. If you’re hoping to break into the aging services industry, personalization is one of the keys to ensuring that seniors get the products and services they want.

There are immense opportunities in the aging product and service industries. Seniors need a wide variety of products and services in order to provide for their needs, and there are openings in the industry for anyone with a great idea and the drive to see it through. By taking into consideration everything that today’s seniors need, it’s possible to create opportunities for yourself and your business while providing necessary and useful services at the same time.