Many older Americans will be alone this holiday season and are longing for a simple way to connect with their families, according to an online Harris Poll of Americans aged 70 and older.
The survey, which reached 221 seniors, was commissioned by Aloe Care Health, maker of the voice-activated Smart Hub for two-way, hands-free communication.
Nearly a third of survey respondents said they definitely won’t be seeing family in person this year, whereas one in five said they still haven’t made plans to be with family, with Thanksgiving just weeks away.
Moreover, in this technological age, two-thirds of respondents said they wish for simple communication solutions (no software download, no smartphone) to stay in touch with family members, with two in five saying they would like to communicate daily.
“With the loneliest season upon us, it is incredibly important to maintain an open channel of communication, particularly with the older adults in our lives,” Aloe Care co-founder and CEO Ray Spoljaric said. “This holiday season will be especially challenging, with COVID-19 introducing new hurdles to traveling and spending time with family. This survey indicates that older Americans need simpler, more intuitive ways of connecting.”
