Understanding younger older consumers' needs in a changing healthcare market—supporting and developing the consumer market for electronic assisted living technologies

The ageing population is presenting an economic challenge in the United Kingdom (UK). Electronic Assisted Living Technology (eALT) is purported to be one potential solution to this problem, as it offers an opportunity to help people remain independent and age in place. The provision of eALT within the UK has traditionally been dominated by statutory provision, leading to a lack of choice of commercial products and services for those whom it might benefit. With increased need for support for the ageing population, and rationalisation of statutory service provision, older people will increasingly be looking toward privately purchased eALT to support their health and independence. However, previous work has identified that there are numerous barriers to the development of a consumer eALT market. This paper describes a series of cocreation workshops which were held to explore solutions to these barriers with younger older people, aged 50–70 years old, which sought to explore the development of a consumer eALT market. A number of solutions were found for all stages of the eALT consumer journey, including how to help people recognise they have a need, how to find eALT information, how to help consumers make the decision to purchase, where to place eALT for consumer access and purchase, and how to encourage continued use of the product or service and repeat sales. The results of this study will be of interest to the UK, European and worldwide consumer eALT markets, to encourage older consumers to maintain their independence and lifestyle and offers insights for the eALT industry in how to reach these consumers.Publisher statement: This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Holliday, N. (2015) Understanding younger older consumers' needs in a changing healthcare market—supporting and developing the consumer market for electronic assisted living technologies. International Journal of Consumer Studies, volume 39 (4): 305–315, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12192. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-820227.html#terms). This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Holliday, N, Ward, G & Fielden, S 2015, 'Understanding younger older consumers' needs in a changing healthcare market—supporting and developing the consumer market for electronic assisted living technologies' International Journal of Consumer Studies, vol 39, no. 4, pp. 305–315., which has been published in final form at https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12192. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.