New Jersey seniors are more tech-savvy than you think

As I got older I have to admit I was a little intimidated by what seemed to be leaping changes in what used to be simple technology. I saw TVs become smart, the ease of a flip phone become a laughing stock with my young nieces and nephew, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi becoming a mainstay in anything I touch. It was a little overwhelming to a guy who used to own a rotary phone.

As most of you know I am a radio personality and have been happily broadcasting behind the microphone here in New Jersey for over 30 years. Back some 30 years ago it was required by the FCC that anyone operating a control board or broadcasting had to learn what all the meters were and their functions. You needed to take a test in order to be on the air and when you passed you got your FCC third-class license and were good to go behind the microphone. I passed. My third-class license was obsolete before the ink from my signature hit that license.

I made a serious decision five years ago to stop being intimidated and learn more about the technical advances that we are all experiencing. I also made the decision instead of picking up the phone and calling my niece for help I would take it upon myself to figure it out.

Apparently, I’m not the only senior here in New Jersey who goes through that process. According to a national study conducted by Seniorly Resource Center, New Jersey ranks 15th in the United States with the most tech-savvy seniors.

The study points out and rightfully so, the more tech-savvy a senior is the more independence they have.

The study points out that seniors on the national average spend a very high 10 hours a day in front of a screen.

There is still a significant amount of seniors who are not tech-savvy. According to a separate survey from AARP, there are more than 15% of seniors who still lack access to technology at home.

Major tech companies are trying to accommodate seniors in making products easier to use and understand.

Here in New Jersey, we ranked 15th as the most tech-savvy state for seniors, here is how we scored:

— 85.1% of all seniors here in New Jersey have an internet subscription

— 20.6% of workers age 60+ work from home

— Local seniors consumers spend an average of $304 a year on tech equipment

— Only 9.4% of seniors age 65+ don’t own a computer.

— In addition, 50% of all seniors here in the Garden State use telehealth services.

All those factors were considered and a score was given to each state. You should know that Washington, D.C., ranked number 1 in senior tech-savvy while West Virginia ranked last.

So give the seniors some credit here in New Jersey: we are tech-savvy and are proud that we know how to use our phones. You may be reading this article on your phone or on our downloaded app. We’ve come a long way.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.