Mobile technology and forgotten consumers: the young-elderly

The advancement in mobile technology and the increasing number of aging people have given rise to a need for better understanding on how mobile (smart) phones can be used to the advantage of the aging populations. The benefits of mobile technology and its merits to individuals have been phenomenal while young-elderly (aged 60-75), an important segment of the society, are lagging behind in using mobile technology and specifically using mobile health and wellness applications. Through a systematic literature review, this study examines our current understanding of the adoption of mobile health and wellness applications by young-elderly and highlights factors which may influence the adoption decision of this age group. The review shows that due to specific physical and functional challenges of this group, mere focus on traditional technology adoption and acceptance models provides necessary, but not sufficient insights into the dynamics of the mobile technology adoption. More specifically, the review results suggest that other relevant determinants such as sociological and psychological factors in addition to the aging-specific characteristics provide the means to better understand the dynamics of mobile technology adoption by the young-elderly. Based on the results obtained from the review of literature and other relevant studies, this study suggests a conceptual framework to be applied in the young-elderly studies.