September
19, 2018|
New
technologies offer insurers the opportunity to build more engaged relationships
with their customers. Fitness-linked insurance programmes, for example, are
attractive to active people who have access to technology and a desire to use it.
While wearables and apps are most closely associated with promoting physical
fitness, technology is increasingly being put to use in lifestyle monitoring of
the elderly and others in need of care.
Technology
that is simple to understand and use works best. Some older people find the
latest gadgets baffling. Even after a device has been set up and explained,
they often have little confidence and remain sceptical of the benefits. Health
problems make some devices hard to operate, while the cost and lack of access
to technology is another barrier. Despite the challenges, the percentage of
people using technology in later life is rising fast.
UK
figures show 75% of people 65-74 years old now have access to the Internet
and more than one-third own a smartphone.1 Among the
individuals over 75, one-quarter use tablets and 41% have a social media
account.2 Three quarters of smartphone-owning older
Americans use the Internet several times a day or more.3 These
numbers are all pretty close to those seen in much younger age groups.4
It’s no
surprise the baby-boomer generation is digitally engaged, but new technologies
can also provide interventions for much older adults, and many of them are
eager adopters.5 Ageing populations create new opportunities
for products and services. The UK government has committed to invest in
innovation to meet the needs that result from this demographic change.6
Telecare
and telehealth are technological interventions to deliver services at a
distance from the provider. Smart homes, assistive robots, technology-based
wellness and therapeutics can all promote an independent lifestyle for older
people, not only providing for their physical and cognitive fitness but also
entertainment, leisure and wellbeing.
There are
reasons other than cost-saving for technological solutions to help older people
remain independent, including assistance with everyday tasks compensating for
lost physical or cognitive function.7 In Japan where 25% of the
population are senior, the predicted shortfall of caregivers by 2025 is likely
to be met by nursing-care robots currently being developed with government
backing.8 Caregivers also enjoy positive outcomes by
experiencing less worry. For example, tracking how a person with dementia
interacts with a virtual assistant device - the questions they ask it and how
often, the tone and cadence of their voice - could be helpful in spotting
cognitive changes, as could analysis of onscreen scrolling and mouse movement.
Phones
and tablets provide isolated people information and links to social networks
for friendship, help and support. Technology sends reminders about medication.
Sensors monitor sleep, kitchen activity and walking speed, and raise the alarm
if a person has a fall. Behavioural data from self-learning intelligent
software allows carers to analyse patterns of behaviour, spot negative trends
and intervene quickly.
Before
insurers embark on building more digital engagement programmes, it is important
to know how they can appeal to the wide range of customers. It is important to
maximize the potential for understanding how older adults perceive technology,
and providing help with setup and ongoing support. In the Netherlands, several
insurers now reimburse users employing home sensors and others are
experimenting with reimbursements on wearables.9 More will surely
follow since technology might prevent hospitalisation or worse.
Concerns
remain over potential security and privacy risks these technologies pose.
Monitoring must be structured in an ethical way that is compliant with data
laws, and there must be a person-centred approach ensuring tangible benefit for
the person concerned. The pressure on health services is increasing as the
numbers of elderly people continue to rise, and developed technologies that
address these concerns can help reduce the overall costs of prevention and
monitoring.10
Endnotes
1. Adults’
Media Use and Attitudes Report, Ofcom, 2018.
3. Tech
adoption climbs among older adults, Pew Research Center, 2016.
4. Technology
and Older People Evidence Review, Age UK.
5. Vaportzis, E.
et al, 2016, Older Adults Perceptions of Technology and Barriers to
Interacting with Tablet Computers: A Focus Group Study, Front Psychol. 2017;
8: 1687. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01687.
7. Ibid., at
Note 4.
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