Increasingly more seniors are tech-savvy

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According to a study commissioned by the Office of Electronic Communications, as many as 73% of people over the age of 60 are computer literate, and the vast majority of them admit that they learned it themselves. The vast majority of seniors also have mobile phones, but some of them are still unable to part with fixed-line telephony.

Attachment to landline phones

Mobile phones became so common among older users that as many as 92% of people in the 60+ age group have them, with the vast majority saying that these services are significant. However, many seniors – as much as 53% – still own landlines. Up to 60% of this group say that having it is essential for them, therefore slightly more than half (52%) of the same group do not plan to abandon this service.

Computer-savvy seniors

As many as 73% of people over the age of 60 are computer literate, and the vast majority of them admit that they learned it themselves and assess their skills well. Almost everyone uses a computer at home, while only 13% use the family’s computer, and 14% – at work. Seniors who do not use a computer most often do not feel such a need, but as many as 38% do not use them because they do not have this equipment.

The Internet and instant messaging are key resources in a senior’s life

The research shows that 73% of seniors use fixed-line or mobile internet. The vast majority, as much as 90%, of this group claim that using the Internet is important to them. During the pandemic, the average number of hours spent online increased from 2.9 to 3.6.

The pandemic also contributed to the increased interest in instant messaging. Already 46% of older mobile phone users use mobile messengers, the most common of which are WhatsApp and Messenger. In the opinion of seniors, the greatest advantages of such solutions are free access to messengers and a stable connection.