As seniors buy more tech, the market for Minnesota-made devices expands

Despite Louise Eddy having nine children, 36 grandchildren and 37 great-grandchildren to keep up with, she misplaced her cell phone at some point and has yet to recover it.

All in all, not a huge loss for the Utah native. She never enjoyed the phone's configuration and struggled to operate it. Plus, she has a GrandPad instead.

For more than a year, Eddy has used the mobile tablet from the Hopkins-based company of the same name so she can browse the internet and share photos with her family and friends. Because the tablet's design is specifically for seniors — including a left-to-right swipe feature, stylus pen for touchscreen accuracy, large and colorful icons plus built-in 4G wireless connectivity — Eddy's become much more attached to it, and thus, less likely to lose it.

Eddy is among millions of older adults across the country investing their money into new technology. By 2030, American adults age 50 and older are expected to spend $120 billion on tech, according to AARP, with older adults wanting to use tech for online shopping, banking, entertainment and health monitoring.

Seniors and technology aren't exactly synonymous terms, but the growing level of comfort among older adults in using technology is translating to new tech companies, including some in Minnesota. GrandPad Inc. is one of several making headway in consumer technology for older adults.

Eddy's daughter Helen works for the company and introduced her to the tablet, which has been a life-changer for the 85-year-old. She previously used her home computer just for email and shopping on Amazon but now does that with her GrandPad, along with reading the news, listening to music, making phone calls and sharing videos with her family.

"It's just amazing, and it's very simple to do," she said, "because technologically, I'm not real good."

Minnesota in the middle

Last year, 71% of adults aged 50 or older made a tech purchase, and 78% use technology frequently to connect with others, AARP recently reported. Meanwhile, what older adults on average spend in a year on tech rose 11% to $912 in 2022, up 130% when compared to 2019.

In Minnesota, however, older adults spend an average of just $280 on tech devices, according to Seniorly, an online senior living advisory and directory. Because of conservative spending — and with nearly 10% of seniors here not owning a computer and 17% not having internet connection — Minnesota falls in the middle when it comes to states with the most digital-savvy seniors, Seniorly stated. Minnesota ranks 24th but is well above neighboring states like Wisconsin (40th) and North Dakota (49th).

Seniorly, which also measures how many seniors work remotely and use telehealth, theorized there are more available technology services for older adults that live on the coasts, hence why the top two areas in the rankings are Washington, D.C., and California.

Nationwide, though, the pandemic heavily influenced tech spending, because it forced older adults to adapt to new tech, said Indira Venkat, senior vice president of AARP Research.

"It was born out of necessity that tools and devices like smartphones started to see traction," she said. "In 2021, with the continuation of staying home, it became more of a habit."

Venkat mentioned technology like smart-home systems for safety and security were one of the big growth areas since it helps seniors maintain independence.

Health and recreation

Chief executive Scott Lien and his son Isaac founded GrandPad in 2014 and primarily built it for adults older than 75 who might suffer from eyesight and dexterity issues. Since its launch, more than 1.6 million people in 120 countries — though mainly in the U.S., Ireland and the United Kingdom — have used the devices.

GrandPad sells its tablets directly to consumers but also to health care providers as a telehealth platform and connected-device system for remote care, Lien said. The company's Daily Connect system includes a wearable device for tracking sleep and steps, a body-weight scale and a way to record blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate and respiration.

The annual growth rate for the business, which now has more than 170 employees, has been in excess of 40% in each of the last three years, per Lien. And part of that tech boom for older adults is from those who care for seniors. AARP reported more than 50% of those surveyed are interested in using tech to assist their caregiving needs.

Lifespark, a St. Louis Park senior care provider, is researching technology to detect falls of residents in their centers. To do that, it created a performance-tracking dashboard for residents' physical therapy sessions. It's also developing an app that invites family members to communicate with caregivers regarding their senior's life plan, said Peter Lutz, the company's recently appointed chief information officer.

By partnering with California video technology company SafelyYou, Lifespark is piloting fall prevention systems in a few centers in Minnesota, Lutz said. The technology connects to existing cameras to alert staff of resident falls and decrease false-positive rates of falls.

Beyond tablets and connected gear, Twin Cities companies like MindVue and Rem5 have created virtual reality content that seniors can use with VR headsets.

MindVue's virtual content is meant for those age 55 and older after many talks with seniors and experts, founder Chris Allen said. Some of the content allows family and caregivers to view the world through their senior loved one's eyes, and families that own VR headsets can remotely join the experience.

In its first three years, the company worked with 30 senior communities totaling 360 seniors in Minnesota, Allen said. The company is seeking investors to continue its work.

"It's about restoring integrity for seniors who can't enjoy outings as much as they used to or social engagements with family," Allen said.

Lifelong learning

While tech adoption among older adults is increasing, according to AARP, 68% of older adults still don't believe new tech is designed with their age in mind, which lowers their confidence with technology and willingness to use devices It's a significant barrier for tech adoption in that demographic.

Loss of vision and hearing are also among the issues that factor into their hesitancy, Venkat said.

Since 2017, retired Twin Cities information technology manager Don Frederiksen has operated Senior Tech Club, a website and community that includes lessons on how to use smartphones and tablets. He created the site after noticing his peers were struggling with technology.

It expanded to in-person classes for senior organizations and community education groups, and, during the pandemic, online lessons. He offers his services for free.

Lately, Frederiksen is focused on partnering with Minneapolis nonprofit Gifts For Seniors to raise money to buy tablets for socially isolated seniors who can't afford them.

"I want to move away from helping people learn how to do FaceTime on their iPhone," he said, "and instead focus on approaches that will help people more strategically stay connected, stay engaged and remain as lifelong learners."