Aging in Place Technology Watch has released a report reviewing the market for technology that will help people remain living in their own homes as they get older. Analyst Laurie Orlov predicts in her 2009 Technology Market Overview Report that the market for technology to assist aging adults will grow from $2 billion today to more than $20 billion by 2020. Fueling this growth is the need for technology that supports communication and engagement, safety and security, heath and wellness, and learning and contribution.

Orlov predicts online seniors will increase from 13.7 million to 25.9 million by 2013. BigScreenLive’s platform provides a simple way for seniors and their families to use PCs for communication and engagement.

BigScreenLive’s simple and affordable solution is available for no-obligation free trial today.

BigScreenLive includes simple email in an easy-to-use interface.

We are fans of Laurie Orlov an ex-Forrester Research analyst who is now leading Aging in Place Technology Watch. Laurie has posted an interesting commentary on the state of internet usage by seniors.

She encourages the industry to get technology into the hands of seniors and thereby get them more engaged and active.

Check out the new How it works section on our website. See how BigScreenLive is the easy-to-use solution to get seniors up and running on the internet. Simply start our free trial and be using simple email, easy photo sharing, and secure shopping for products powered by Amazon.com today.

Edward Baig has written an interesting article in USA Today (click here for story) on how seniors are using technology. The highlight of the article is a group of seniors in Springfield, Virginia who have built a bowling alley using the Nintendo Wii. From the photos it looks like they are having a great time and the six-lane alley does not seem to be taking up a lot of space.
Baig also highlights other stories of senior friendly technology - sadly we were missed in the story! But he does talk of the need for easy-to-use computers for seniors.

We have been testing BigScreenLive in some independent living centers and also in assisted living centers. Residents in these centers range in their ability and interest in using computers.

Some seniors use BigScreenLive on a computer they have in their room or apartment.
Some seniors enjoy using BigScreenLive in a library or computer room setting. We can install the software on these shared computers or each senior can have their own ‘BigScreenLive to Go’ stick which they can insert in any computer. Click here to learn more about BigScreenLive to Go

We are also trialing BigScreenLive with seniors who have cognitive challenges and need nursing or counselor help to use the computer. Staff find it easy to help the senior because the software is very easy to learn to use.

BigScreenLive also provides tools to help centers connect with the seniors in their community. A special ‘Community’ area within BigScreenLive is used to share meal menus, community events and outings, photo albums, newsletters, and notices. Since the senior’s family can also see the community area in the Friends and Family portal, BigScreenLive helps centers to engage with families.

BigScreenLive can run on any computer, but it is also specially designed to work with a touch screen. Using a touch screen makes it easier for seniors to navigate BigScreenLive and is especially helpful when a staff member is using the product with a senior. We can help you source touch screens or find a computer with a touch screen built in.

Senior members get an email address and use the BigScreenLive software. Family members get free accounts (but no email address) and can sign into the BigScreenLive Family and Friends Portal to place photos, web bookmarks, and addresses into the senior’s account.

For information about how to get started, contact us today.