Philadelphia Geriatric Center

The most recent and authoritative statistics on use of computers by people 55 and older is the 1999 version of the U.S. Census Bureau's "Falling Through the Net: Defining the Digital Divide" at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/ Chart A-14, Percent of U.S. Households with Computers- By Age, is at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/fttn99/App_III/Chart-A-14.html There are other charts at this site that may be worth perusing.

Another older source of statistics is the Georgia Tech, Graphics, Visualization and Usability Center that conducted user surveys every 6 months, but has not done one since late 1998. Their results give much data, but is not based on a cross section of the population like the Census Bureau report above. Almost all their charts have an age breakdown section. See http://www.gvu.gatech.edu/user_surveys/survey-1998-10/graphs/technology the Technology Demographics section where the most appropriate charts are.

One must be careful when using Internet statistics. Be sure to know just what the statistics are reporting. Is it: number of computers owned, use of a modem, use of e-mail, surfing Web pages, or some combination of these.

Unfortunately, very few breakouts by age go above a 55+ category.

Written by Joyce A. Post.