Health and Wellness Apps: Considerable Use Among Older Adults But Room to Grow

While many Americans age 50-plus say they’re reasonably tech savvy, many aren’t leveraging the full value of apps that can improve their physical and mental well-being.

A new AARP survey of adults age 50-plus shows most older adults (71%) use smartphones or tablets and are open to using health and wellness apps. Many (80%) comfortably download apps and try new ones regularly (32%). Still, few take advantage of available technology such as apps and wearable devices to manage their chronic health problems.

Uptake varies by app purpose

More than half of respondents (55%) turn to health and wellness apps to track their fitness and physical activity. Another 29% use them to monitor their health, and 29% do so for personal goal setting. Just 13% say apps are useful to manage personal health records. Also yet to be fully embraced is the use of apps to provide medication reminders, information, or advice (6%) and social support and motivation (4%).

People see technology as a means to enable them to live a healthy life (68%) but don’t always take advantage of its potential. The survey reveals 63% have a chronic condition such as high blood pressure or diabetes, yet just 20% use an app to help manage their issue, and 60% are aware of apps but choose not to use one.

With more than 350,000 health and wellness apps on the market, it can be overwhelming for consumers to decide what to use.

Often older adults listen to friends and family for recommendations (43%). The next most common source for info on health and wellness apps is the internet, the app store, or product reviews. About six in 10 respondents say they always read reviews before downloading an app — favoring reviews from experts (45%) over fellow customers (36%). Many (88%) would welcome a physician’s recommendation for a health and wellness app, although just 10% have followed advice from their doctor.

Some barriers: cost and access to expert guidance

Most respondents say they like to find their own apps rather than rely on ones that come preinstalled on devices, although the fact that such apps are free drives their appeal. In fact, beyond free offerings, cost is the biggest barrier to older adults using health and wellness apps. Other barriers involve concerns over data security and how to decide which device is right for them. Older adults expressed mixed feelings about the use of AI in these apps, with some citing its potential and others expressing concerns over privacy and price.

Findings from the AARP survey highlight the need for consumer education and trusted guidance around this technology. If older adults could get expert recommendations more easily, they may be more likely to download apps that prove useful in dealing with ongoing health issues as they age.

Methodology

Comprising the April 2024 survey was a national sample of 694 adults age 50 and older and 355 adults ages 40–49. All who participated in the online survey owned smartphones and/or tablets. They also had an interest in a health or wellness app and were comfortable downloading it on their device.

For more information, please contact Brittne Kakulla at bkakulla@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.