Older Adults Can Serve Communities as Engines of Everyday Innovation

A study by Pennsylvania State University College of Information Sciences and Technology researchers found older adults can use their hobbies and pastimes to advance innovation throughout the entire community, reports Penn State News . "The idea behind the project is how we can reframe old age as a time when people can contribute and have capacity and are valuable and creative," said Penn State Professor John Carroll. "It is very different from the traditional way of looking at aging, which is to see people as they age as requiring custodial care, becoming things that we need to take care of." The researchers learned that not only do older adults teach traditional innovation skills, but the end products are often contributed to the community. Study participants employed technology as tools for everyday innovation in contrast to stereotypical notions of technology-averse seniors. According to Penn State's Xiying Wang, technology firms can help facilitate innovation among older adults by making websites and tools more user-friendly for older demographics. "We see aging as an innovative process as long as we can support older adults in generating and improving innovation based on what they're interested in," he said. "They become more active in life and also more active in the activities that they do."