New technologies are set to play an important role in the field of health

Opinions still differ on the value of artificial intelligence in helping elderly people to stay at home. However, its usefulness in the field of health is less and less contested. It has even been reinforced by the health crisis.

Baby boomers are increasingly connected (93% of 60-69 year olds), they have a high purchasing power and an appetite for innovations in health, well-being, comfort and security. According to the Seniosphere Conseil’s 2022 study “Baby Boomers and Innovation in Europe”, 47% say they are prepared to pay more for innovation if it has “real” added value.

Also according to this study, when asked “in which area would you most like to see innovation”, 40% said their first choice was “in the treatment and prevention of diseases”. New technologies such as connected pacemakers have been developed to facilitate patient monitoring. They allow regular monitoring (24/7), stimulate the heart if it slows down and warn of abnormalities or emergencies. As we age, the heart becomes more fragile. According to the Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie, heart failure affects 10% of people over 70. It estimates that its incidence could increase considerably “by 25% every 4 years” with the ageing of the Baby Boomers. It is therefore the over-60s who will be most affected by this innovation.

Artificial intelligence embedded in new tools also plays and will play a role in improving the daily life of seniors.

As we age, our hearing diminishes, which can make it difficult to interact with others. With the difficulty of perceiving the sounds around them, people become progressively isolated. Studies have also shown that perceiving and interpreting sounds helps to maintain cognitive function and reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Gone are the days of large, inefficient hearing aids such as the Sonotones created in 1929 by the company of the same name, and hearing aids are becoming less and less stigmatising. This is the case with Livio AI, which is part of the new generation. Thanks to artificial intelligence, these devices not only correct hearing, but also measure physical and cognitive activity and detect falls (and other functions such as voice-to-text transcription). They therefore have a preventive and corrective approach.

Although they are increasingly equipping themselves, Baby Boomers are also the ones who have the most fears about the use of data and respect for their privacy. To facilitate adoption, they need to be reassured on this subject.

Sources :

Journal du Droit de la Santé et de l’Assurance – Maladie (JDSAM)

Study on Baby Boomers and innovation by Seniosphere Conseil

ARCEP Digital Barometer 2021