If you are elderly, you might not exactly be on top of the most current trends in technology. This doesn't mean that you cannot benefit from the latest advances, however. Tech companies know that the senior market is one of the fastest growing marketplaces around the world and they are looking to cash in by creating products with a specific appeal to the senior population. A recent expo in Europe highlighted a lot of the recent products that have been created.
Some of these new products include smart phones with larger buttons, back ache-free vacuum cleaners, and more advanced hearing aids. One of the important features that these devices have is to make sure that they do not closely resemble medical devices. If they did, this would only remind the elderly of their problems. Products are being designed to look sleek and attractive in order to fight this previous marketing flaw.
The market for products for the elderly has a wide array of diversity because this is a very diverse demographic. Retirees have a large set of interests and product developers are trying to take this fact into account. For example, many elderly folk that use mobile cell phones rely upon the alarm clock feature pretty heavily. This is a very basic use, but modifying this to more closely fit the needs of senior citizens can make a big difference. Other features, like a GPS function that can locate the user, also can be very useful for seniors. Still, other cell phone users value simplicity over gadgets. Finding a phone in the traditional market that is not overloaded with fancy bells and whistles might be tough, but there are units designed especially for senior citizens, too.
The Berlin tech expo offered tours to senior citizens intermittently. The goal was not to sell them products, but rather to educate them and explain how they can use technology to better their lives. The senior citizen population is expanding rapidly because of advances in medicine and technology, and it is important that seniors be made more aware of the simple things that they can do to help themselves.
There are many safety features being produced, as well. For example, a new generation of emergency call buttons has been established. This button will call a pre-programmed number, ranging from emergency services to family members-but that is not all it does. This device, which is worn around the neck, can also detect if the wearer has not moved for an extended period of time and can alert the emergency numbers if this were to occur.
New technology has improved our lives and the senior population is no different. Designing products that can specifically help this population is only a smart marketing idea.