Observations, insights and innovations that connect with the 50+ market.

Skype On TV? Why Does Gran Need A Computer?
by Kim Walker 09 July 2010 12:15:23

Skype recently announced that new web-connected TV sets from LG, Panasonic and Samsung will now ship with Skype software pre-loaded. Add a TV webcam and you can make high-definition video calls from the sofa. On Skype's website, the pitch is clear "Soon you'll simply gather the whole family on the couch for video calls with loved ones overseas, and give them a regular w... more

Comic Pair Draw Attention To The Important Role Of Older People
by Kim Walker 08 July 2010 18:38:06

An unlikely pairing of a 37-year-old agnostic comedian and the 75-year-old Catholic priest have lent their support to the aged care industry's united election campaign in a bid to get people talking about the older people who have had an impact on their life. The core idea around "Grand" (Grand parents etc) is fun a puts a wonderful, positive and uplifting spin on the us... more

Over Half Of All Japanese Men 65~70 Still Earning!
by Kim Walker 06 July 2010 15:00:44

In fact, fifty-two percent of men aged 65-69 are gainfully employed, according to a survey by the government-affiliated Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training. Furthermore, 17.7% of men in that age bracket want to work but cannot find employment. For 55-69 year olds, a combined 60% of men and women are working to bring in a salary. (Men = 72.2%, Women = 48.5%). ... more

Japanese Luxury Customers Spend Differently With Age
by Kim Walker 04 July 2010 12:17:32

Increasingly, Japanese consumers in the luxury segment are behaving differently-by age, gender, and even geography. According to a new McKinsey report just released entitled “Japan’s luxury consumer: Detecting a pulse?” showed that 22 percent of 20-year-old luxury consumers are willing to pay full price for luxury goods, compared with just 9 percent for ... more

Hospitals Marketing To Boomers
by Kim Walker 30 June 2010 10:13:14

Hospitals in the USA are jockeying to position themselves for growth amid a perfect storm of aging baby boomers and a health-care-reform bill that will result in millions more insured patients down the road. Nationally known hospital brands such as the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Memorial Sloan-Kettering and Massachusetts General Hospital are ramping up... more

Artificial Intelligence To Better Serve The Elderly?
by Patrick Loh 28 June 2010 11:31:24

It is interesting to imagine where evolution is taking man and how older folks of the future will be when compared to the older folks of today. But perhaps the future is already here. This article on AI (artificial Intelligence) , from the New Paper, illustrates this point.Rapid progress has been made in recent years in AI and the prospect of machines listening, speaking... more

Aged Care Issue Helps Bring Down Australian PM
by Kim Walker 24 June 2010 12:58:47

Kevin Rudd's decision to stand down comes just a day after aged care industry leaders penned an open letter to the prime minister, urging him to address the sector's funding crisis. Published in national and major metropolitan papers, the Aged Care Industry Council's (ACIC) letter delivered a stern ultimatum that proved too much for the embattled leader. A government sp... more

Networking Sites Reach Up To 80% of 55+ Internet Users In APAC - Download Report
by Kim Walker 23 June 2010 11:32:13

Older consumers in Asia Pacific are in line with global trends in social networking, revealed in an analysis of comScore data across thirteen APAC countries. Download the SilverMatters report here. Some Highlights: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, (about a third of all countries surveyed) - have the highest percentage of mature internet users logging on ... more

Sex More Important To 45+ Men Than Women - Survey
by Kim Walker 17 June 2010 14:42:29

Baby boomers are starting to influence attitudes toward sex relative to older generations. According to a study recently released by AARP covering 1,670 adults 45+ in the USA, opposition to sex among those who are not married has declined 50% over the past 10 years. Men continue to think about sex more often than women, see it as more important to their quality of life, ... more

1 in 3 Online Entrepreneurs Are 50+ - Survey
by Kim Walker 14 June 2010 15:02:31

A USA national survey of 25,000 businesses also found that the morning newspaper has become almost irrelevant to small business owners, with 48% going online immediately after waking (compared to just 3% reading print news). CityMax.com who conducted the survey said "We've seen a recent surge in older entrepreneurs making their own websites," The survey found California ... more