Americans 60 and Older Are Spending More Time in Front of Their Screens Than a Decade Ago

A Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data found the amount of time Americans 60 and older spend watching screens has increased nearly 30 minutes a day over the past 10 years. This demographic currently spends more than half of their daily leisure time — four hours and 16 minutes — before screens, mainly watching TV or videos. Screen time has risen for those in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and up, with this increase apparent across genders and levels of education. A slight decrease in time devoted to other recreational activities, like reading or socializing, also was observed. This trend is concurrent with significant growth in the adoption of digital technology — including Internet and smartphones — by older Americans. Generally, leisure time for Americans 60 and older has remained stable at about seven hours daily, as has the time spent on other activities.