Age-friendly tech rolled out to boost the well-being of senior citizens

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing a rapidly aging trend, a new report says, with the over-65s population projected to surpass 900 million by 2050. 

The report, which covers the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) members, focuses not just on challenges but also opportunities stemming from the roll-out of digital technologies for promoting the physical and mental well-being of senior citizens.

It showcases several smart initiatives implemented across APEC member economies.

In China, the "Adaptation Initiative for Senior-Friendly Applications," promoted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has completed the optimization of over 3,000 applications and websites for elderly users. Mainstream platforms such as Alipay and WeChat have launched "elderly mode," significantly enhancing the ability of older adults to use these applications independently.

In Japan, home phone service NTT Docomo introduced "Raku-Raku (easy-to-use) Smartphone." It features large text, a simplified interface and voice input functionality, which has enabled millions of elderly users to operate their phones easily.

In Singapore, over 210,000 elders were trained through the "Senior Go Digital" program. The usage rate of electronic payments increased from 38 percent in 2018 to 78 percent in 2022.

Despite continuous progress, areas for improvement in bridging the digital divide include smartphones being unaffordable for low-income seniors in rural areas, as well as digital tools remaining in beta and lacking nationwide integration.