The Aging by Design conference has been held twice. In September, 2004, AARP was the co-host of the inaugural event. In October, 2005, we were one of the event's sponsors.
We were very pleased to present at both conferences. The AARP presentations are provided below.
October 17 & 18, 2005
Web 2011 - Scenarios for Older Adults Online
Mark Carpenter, General Manager, Web Strategy & Operations
In 2011, the first Baby Boomer will turn 65. As a generation, they will be getting ready to deal with the challenges ahead and they will be looking online for information and products related to health and wellness, financial security, caregiving, and independent living.
The Boomers are much more "wired" than the generation before, with nearly 60 million of them currently online, and more likely to follow. At the same time, innovations in technology, such as broadband and wireless, are changing what it means to be "online" for everyone.
In order to anticipate the opportunities and challenges inherent in these trends, AARP recently held a series of scenario planning workshops to explore what life might be like in 2011 from an older adult / Internet perspective.
In this session, Mark Carpenter will share some of the resulting scenarios and their implications.
Presentation (PDF, 1.4M)
September 27 & 28, 2005
Caregiving and Technology
John Rother, Group Executive Officer of Policy & Strategy
Although the vast majority of persons age 50 and older do not require long-term assistance at any given time, most people will require assistance at some point in their lives, and most families will face these issues with their older family members. What happens, then, when disabilities early or late in life threaten our independence and require us to rely on others for help with the ordinary routines of life?
In this session, John Rother will talk about the US caregiving challenge and how the Web and volunteer-based navigation tools can play a part in better care for older adults who need it and reduced cost for those who must provide it.
Presentation (PPT, 357K)
Older, Wiser, Wired: Designing for Adults over 50
Amy Lee, Director, Customer Experience (Web)
More and more U.S. adults over 50 have computer access, with most of those using their computers to go online. They bank, they buy, they search, they read, they contribute. But how hard is it for them to find what they need?
Amy Lee will review some of the common assumptions about this demographic group, lessons learned from research that AARP has been conducting, and specific tips for making your Web site more accessible and enjoyable for adults over 50.
Presentation (PPT, 117K)
Please visit the Aging by Design conference websites at Bentley College (2004 and 2005) for all available presentations.