Tech
Savvy Baby Boomers
There
is a common misconception
in our society that Baby
Bomers are not interested
in technoogy, or even that
they are afraid of it.
Attractilve
Products for Aging Boomers Universal
design
turns toward
high design to attract
Baby Boomers who want to
remain in their homes
as long as possible.
A
New Age for Older People
As
the government
launches a
consolidation on
age discrimination,
we need
to make
ageism just
as unacceptable
as racism
and sexism.
Boomer
Tech is Booming Business
Companies
dissing
the
Baby
Boomer
set
by
focusing
on
a narrow,
decidedly
younger
swath
of
the
market
do
so
at
their
owh
peril.
The
Gold in That Silver Cloud
Savy
marketers
are
targeting
America's
growing grandparent
population
–
a
large,
influential,
and
increasingly
powerful
consumer
segment.
Design
for Social Innovation?
Can
schools
teach
designers
how
to
solve
the
world's
problems?
New
MFA
program
encourages "Design
for
Social
Innovation."
Grandpa's
Gadgets Now in Vogue
Upscale
companies
are
beginning
to
offer "aging
in
place" products
to boomers
who
care
more about
style than
their parents
did.
High
Design for Aging Boomers
Responding
to
your
future
needs,
manufacturers
have
begun
adding
sophisticated
styling
to
the
tools
of
everyday
life.
Age-Empathy
Suit Comes From M.I.T.
The
M.I.T.
Age
Gain
Now
Empathy
System (AGNES)
helps
designers
and
marketers
better
understand
older
adults and
create
products
for
them.
Builders
Eye Retiring Aging Boomers
Developers
again tailoring homes and
communities for retiring baby
boomers looking for a wider
variety of in-home conveniences.
The
Seismic Shift in U.S. Aging
Baby
boomers
began
turning
65
in
January,
heralding
a
seismic
shift
in
demographics
worldwide
and
profound
implications
for
society.
It's
Not Easy Being Gray
An
age-empathy
suit
from
the
M.I.T.
helps
product
designers
and
marketers
better
understnd
older
adults
and create
innovative
products
for
them.
Aging
is Worth its Challenges
Australia's
Productivity
Commission's
recent
report
on
aged-care
highlights
the
choices
we
need
to
make
if
gains
are
to
be
realized.
Multigenerational
Households
Putting
three
generations
under
one
roof has
become
a
growth
industry
of
the
recession
and
our
aging
society.
A
New Wrinkle for Boomers
When
baby-boomers entered
the workforce
they began
to shape
America's economy
and politics.
They're doing
the same
as they
leave.
New
Inclusive Playgrounds
Playground
manufacturer
providing
inclusive
play
experiences
that
meet
all
children's
needs
in
the
same
place
in
a
variety
of
ways.
Boomers
to
Reshape Housing
Market — Again
Today,
77
million
aging
Baby
Boomers
are
a
returning
force
in
housing,
and
builders
and
developers
are
planning
for
their
comeback.
A
Bicycle for Baby Boomers Taiwan
company
asks
active,
aging
Baby
Boomers what it would take
to get them back on the
seat of a bike. The
Revive
DX was the answer.
Elder
Tech: What's Important?
Buying
the
latest
cool
thing
for
Mom
and
Dad
is
not
the
way
to
make
technology
work
for
them—fulfilling
basic
wants
and
needs
is.
Only
11 Percent Devoted to Elderly
Studies
The
National
Institutes
of
Health
devotes
only
11
percent
of
its
$31
billion
budget
to
studies
directly
involving
health
of
the
elderly.
What
do Baby Boomers
Want From Technology?
Americans
50
and
older
want
technology
to
be
practical,
adjustable,
and
time
saving—from
cell
phones
to electronic
health
records.
GE
is Building a Home Made for
Baby Boomers
Industrial
Designers
at
GE
Appliances & Lighting
division
learn
about
aging
and
how
to
design
better
appliances
for
older
Americans.
What
Consumers Will
Demand in
2011
Experts
who
take
the
consumer
pulse
agree—there's
been
a
power
shift,
and
consumers
are
more
in
control
and
more
fickle
than
ever.
Top
Safety Products for Seniors
Safety
devices
help
Seniors
steer
clear
of
residential
dangers
deemed
most
common
by
the
Home
Safety
Council:
falls,
poisoning,
and
burns.
MOMA
Cooks Up a Domestic Kitchen
Exhibit
An
exhibit
at
the
Museum
of
Modern
Art
takes
a
fresh
look
at
kitchens
and
emotonal
and
ideological
hold
it
has
on
both
cooks
and
non-cooks.
2011:
Boom Year for Boomers
Just
as
they
forced
societal
changes
from
infancy
on,
Boomers
will
radically
change
retirement,
gemographers
say.
Big
Type is Best for Aging Baby
Boomers
According
to
Lighthouse International,
large
type
is
best
not
only
for
people
who
are
visually
impaired,
but
also
for
all
of us
as
we
age.
2010
Beware
the "Silver
Tsunami"
As
the
first
of
America's
Baby
Boom
generations turn
65
in
2011,
will
the
country
be
ready
to
meet
the
needs
they
will
require?
What
Boomers Want for Christmas A
Baby
Boomer
gets
answers
from
financial
experts
to
help
navigate
the
best
routes
for
a healthy
and
prosperous
future.
Marketing
to Boomers: Don't Call Us
Old
There's
a reason you don't see many
products marketed as "senior-friendly"
or "good for boomers" – nobody
woould buy them.
Freeing
Form From Function
Liberating
design from functionalism, the
microchip has given designers
the chance to
radically redefine objects
and make them more humane.
The
iPad
Leads
Apple
to
the
Elderly
Forgiving
of
mistakes,
the
tablet's
ease
of
use
and
intutive
interface makes
it
appealing
to
senior
citizens
around
the
world.
Boomers
Forgotten
in
Auto
Design
"Boomer"
drivers, those
60 and
older, want
manufacturers to
design vehicles
that are
more user-friendly
for them.
Demographic
Change
/
Senior
Friendly
Appliances
In
the
future,
intelligent
technologies
will
help
older
people
live
at
home
as
long
as
possible
with
attractive
products
that
are
easy
to
opperate.
Elderly
Phone Red Dot Winner
This
Elderly Phone, tailored
to the requirements of older people,
uses only one
function,
which
diminishes
the risk
of opperating
errors.
New
Technology for Old Age
How do technology researchers
and businesses meet
the needs and expectations
of aging baby boomers
that demand
more?
Older
Drivers Need Smart Cars
Forced
to
choose between safety and
mobility, older
drivers look to smarter
cars and better designed roads
to help
keep them
behind
the wheel
longer.
Think
Design in Four Phases
Shared
ingrained habits and behaviors
are
almost
second
nature
to many
designers
and link
their
ability
to originate
ideas
and
innovations.
Japan
Designs for the Elderly
Japanese companies
cater
to the needs of older consumers
as the population ages
and the
birthrate dwindles.
Marketing
to Women Baby Boomers A growing
new
marketing
strategy
by
entrepreneurs
and
companies
increasingly targets
baby
boomer
women.
Boomers
Influence Ford Designs
With
the Baby Boomer generation
aging,
Ford's ergonomic team is
developing new designs
considering ease of
use, safety
and comfort.
'Villages'
Concept Taking Off
The
explosive
growth
of
the
USA's
older
population
is
fueling
a
grass-roots "villages" movement
in
neighborhoods
across
the
country.
Make
Your Home Age-Friendly People
want
to
stay
in
their
homes
as
they
age.
But
aging
in
place
is
difficult
without
thoughtful
age-friendly
modifications.
Packaging
For Boomers is Hot
As the population ages, changes in packaging requirements
are becoming readily apparent.
Under
a Generational Shadow
Self-absorbed,
self-indulged,
and
self
loathing,
the
baby
Boomer
generation
may
step
out
of
the
Greatest
Generations
historical
shadow.
New
Revised ADA Regulations
On
July
23,
2010,
Department
of
Justice
revises
ADA
regulations,
including
its
ADA
Standards
for
Accessible
Design.
It's
Not Age, It's Cognition
Cognitive
abilities
like
memory
and
processing
speed—not
age— determine
whether
we
make
the
best
decisions.
How
Age
Friendly is Your City?
Starting
next year, 10,000 Baby Boomers
a day will turn 65, yet
no
single model exists for
making
a city, suburb, or
neighborhood age
friendly.
The
Looming Boomer Tsunami
By
2050, nearly 90 million Americans
will have passed age 65.
As they grow in numbers,
experts seek
ways to handle the
coming boom.
Toronto:
An Age-Friendly City?
Toronto
will soon have as many seniors
as it does children. The mayor
calls for "an age-friendly
city," promising
to hire a seniors' advocate.
'Continuing
Care' Center Woes
The
2008 financial
crisis and recession reminds
retirees
to be careful when
choosing to
move into a continuing-care
retirement community.
Playground
for Seniors Opens
London's
first "seniors
playground" opens
after
residents
campaign
for
more
facilities
to
help
older
people
get
fit.
Multigenerational
Homes Surge
Fifty
million
Americans,
including
rising
numbers
of
seniors,
live
in
households
with
at
least
two
adult
generations,
and
often
three.
An
Old Age Home All Your Own
Ruling
out
a
retirement
community
and
choosing
to "age
in
place" is
becoming
increasingly
popular
in
Westchester
and
elseware.
Texas
A&M
Prof's Video Earns ASLA Award
University
video series shows seniors
how to
create
healthy,
inviting outdoor
environments
in residential
settings
recognized
by the
ASLA.
Boomers Cought
in
the
Middle
Baby
Boomers born
between
1952
and
1958 describe
'old'
as being
w-a-a-a-y-y-y
out
there
in
the
future. Are
they
self-delusional?
Scary
Aging Population Stats The
average
age
of
the
world's
population
is
increasing
at
an
unprecedented
rate
and
that
smell
on
the
horizon
spells
trouble.
Aging
May be Key to Happiness Getting
older
is
not
all
bad.
Experts
say
many
people
grow
happier
with
the
years—research
shows
It
all
depends
on
ouor
attitude.
Connectile
Dysfunction Addressing
the
disconnect
between
intent
and
action can
be
a
key
approach
for
developing
products for
at-risk
populations.
UC
Students Innovate Walkers Twenty-four
industrial
design
students
from
the
University
of
Cincinnati's
school
of
design
are
redesigning
mmobility
aids
for
the
21st
century.
Design
Awards Enable Aging in Place
Homes
designed
to
be
suitable
for
elderly
occupants,
made
senior-friendly
when
they
were
built,
rather
than
trying
to
retrofit
them.
Public
Bathrooms Reinvented
The
New York based firm Smart
Design explores Universal
Design
in Public Bathrooms—the
first
video of a two-part series.
Multi-generational
Housing
Multi-generational
households are
a burgeoning
trend which is changing
what buyers
are looking for in
a house.
New
Aging in Place Model
A growing nmber of neighborhood
netwrks are providing
the resources to help
the elderly remain
independent for as long
as possible.
Attractive and Functional Making
a home
suitable
for
older
occupants
is
becoming
a mainstream
part
of
the
home
remodeling
business.
Grandparents
going digital How
to
help
grandpa
get
his
tech
on. Some
of
the
highest
growth
rates
in
broadband
use
are
happening
among
the
elderly.
Why
is 100 the new 65? Why
do
some
people
live
to
100?
Researchers
are
trying
to
find
out,
and
the're
discovering
how
we
might
live
better—not
just
longer—lives.
A
Coming Elder Revolution?
The
implications
of an aging world viewed
with alarm. When
10,000 people a day
reach
retirement age, how
will
society
support them?
Help
for "The
New Old Age
Easier
E-mail for the older generation. An
e-mail system that no senior
can resist:
no logins
or links,
no ad boxes
or
news flashes.
Go
With the Flo.™
Arizona State University's
College of Design students
and faculty recognized
for their transgenerational toilet
design concept.
Expanding
Our Impact
We've joined the advisory
team of AIPatHome.com,
specialists in age-in-place
technologies, universal
design homes and product
education.
Cell
Phones for Seniors
View a movie about a
new cell phone designed
for active seniors complete
with big buttons and
handy speed dials.
Play
to Stay
A-HAH! is
the first-of-its-kind
card game specially
designed to reduce
the risk of dimentia.
Grandma's
in the House
Millions
of families have three or more
generations living
under one roof. This
AARP article explains
the many advantages
of transgenerational
design.
Publish
or Perish
View our kitchen
and bath designs
in the new book, Universal
Design Ideas for
Style, Comfort & Safety, by
Mary Green.
2007
We
delivered
the
featured
presentation, "The
Generation Connection" at CONNECTING'07
World Design Congress,
sponsored by ICSID and IDSA,
October 18, 2007, San Francisco,
CA.
We
were
one
of
the "professionals
kindly
contributing
their
expertise
to
the
research
and
writing" of
the
book, Universal
Design
Ideas
for
Style,
Comfort & Safety,
published
by
RSMeans,
Kingston,
MA
.
We
were a featured speaker at Living
Rooms, a
collaborative conference cosponsored
by the Human
Factors and Ergonomics Society and
the Industrial
Designers Society of America,
May 1-2, 2007 at ASAE
Headquarters, Washington,
DC.
Our
article, "New
Year
Reflections," was
published
in
the
February
2007
issue
of Design
for
All,
a
newsletter
of
the
Design
for
All
Institute
of
India (www.designforall.in).
2006
We
were
the
closing
key-note
speaker
at
the 2006
WithIt
Education
Conference, "Women
in
Business:Strategies
for
Success." Our
presentation
explored
the
relation
between
future
life
stage
trends
and
the
transgenerational
house.
The
annual
three-day
event
was
held
at
the
Renaissance
Charlotte
Suites
Hotel
in
Charlotte,
NC.
Dwell.
Quoted
about
transgenerational
design
in
the
article "Rethinking Senior Housing " by
Amara
Holstein.
April,
2006.
2005
We
were
selected
as
an
example
of "The
Power
to
Expand
the
Market"inthe
epilogue
of
the
new
book, "The
Design
of
Things
to
Come:
How
Ordinary
People
Create
Extraordinary
Products." by
Craig
M.
Vogel;
Jonathan
Cagan,
Ph.D.;
and
Peter
Boatwright,
Ph.D.
Wharton
School
Publishing,
2005.
USA
Today.
Quoted about transgenerational
design in the article "2046:
A Boomer Odyssey" by
Marco R. della Cava. October
27, 2005.
Ehrenman,
Gayle
2005."Fly
the
Grayer
Skies." A
featured
article
about
Boeing
looking
for
ways
to
meet
the
changing
needs
of
Baby
Boomers.
April
2003.Mechanical
Engineering,
March
2005.
New
York:
American
Society
of
Mecanical
Engineers.
2004
Metropolis.
Interviewed by Martin C. Peterson
for "Progress Report: Metropolis checks in with universal design pioneers to see where the movement is now," pp
30-36. December 2004,
Jacobs, Brian 2004. "Desgn
on Time," The Examiner, July 3, 2004,
We
were interviewed by TheMatureMarket.com for
the December 13, 2004 article, "The
Mature Market: Seniors & Baby
boomers Markets World Wide," and
which appears on its web site.
2003
Our Transgenerational
House project
was featured in a 7-page article
published in the September/October
2003 issue of AARP
The Magazine,
read by over 30 million aging
Americans.
New
York Times.
Interviewed in an article
by Yanick Rice Lamb about
the best products that can
be used by most people. October
14, 1993.
2002
Public
Broadcasting System (PBS).
We were interviewed on Marketplace® by
Jo Giese about transgenerational
accommodation for Baby Boomers
and beyond.
Mature
Focus Radio,
a national Mutual Radio production
of AARP, interviewed us about
transgenerational design
for transportation.
We
delivered the lecture, "Transgenerational
Design: at the Heart of It All," at
the Universal Design International
Symposium sponsored by theTokyo
Gas Company, Ltd and the Living
Design Center Co, Ltd. Tokyo,
Japan, February 8, 2001.
2000
We
presented, "The
Transgenerational House: A Case
Study in Accessible Design and
Construction," at Designing
for the 21st Century: An International
Conference on Universal Design.
Providence, RI, June 14-18, 2000.
National
Public Radio.
We we were an invited
guest onTalk
of the Nation,® hosted
by Ray Suarez, a one-hour
program
discussing Ageless
Design.
Albuquerque,
NM.
We
were an invited
guest discussing “Designing
our Lives for an Aging
Population”on KANW
Public Radio's
half-hour program
hosted
by Georgia Armijo.
Our
interview
about transgenerational design
appeared in Executive
Memo,Marriott
Corporation's monthly
newsletter to 18,000 hospital,
college and business executives.
National
Public Radio.
We were interviewed by Bob
Edwards
on "Morning
Edition" discussing
transgenerational design
and
its impact on automobile
design.
Interviewed
for “America
Comes of Age,” a
7000-word special report in Bristol-Myers
Annual Report.
We
were quoted
by The
Wall Street Journal in
the article“Best
designs for elderly appeal
to young” by
John
Peterson.
U.S.
News and World Report reported
our
student's
projects in the article “Small
gadgets that can change
lives.”
