Use of and attitudes towards new technologies of persons 50+ in Austria (SHARE Austria)

A dynamic new field for health related technologies has emerged over the past decade. Many innovations aim at assisting elderly persons in monitoring and managing their personal health status. Other technologies support these persons in their activities of daily life, and make them feel safe and shepherded while still being able to live on their own. In times of ageing populations and stressed health care systems such technologies provide an interesting alternative to rather classic approaches in health and care services. New technologies become always more accessible to ordinary citizens. In many cases ownership of smartphones or tablets is sufficient for being able to participate in these benefits. But while smartphones and tablets are becoming ever cheaper and technically more sophisticated, attitudes of human beings towards new technologies only slowly change. One major problem is that many older individuals are eager to use new technologies and – especially for persons with disabilities – technologic innovations are becoming ever more relevant in their daily life; however due to age related changes in health and cognitive skills, these people are confronted with an invisible “technological barrier” (see Friesdorf et al., 2000; Czaja and Lee, 2007). This article aims to shed a first light on the mindset of persons 50+ in Austria towards new health and care technologies by looking at the relationship between gender, age, educational background, geographic living area and attitudes towards new technologies.