Senior Surfers Few But Fervent

Wayne County, Michigan is the home to almost 250,000 persons over the age of 65. Only 13 percent of Americans age 65 and older go online, but those who do are fervent users of e-mail and often use the Internet to gather information such as material to help them manage their health.

Many wired seniors are newcomers to the Internet who have been coaxed into going online by their children or grand- children. But once they have logged on, many become eager Web users. Nearly 29% of all U.S. seniors over 65 years of age lived in a house with a computer in 2000. Thirteen percent of all seniors over 65 years of age used the Internet at home in 2000.

The five top uses of the Web by senior citizens are: using e-mail, looking up hobby information, seeking financial information, reading the news and checking weather reports.

Senior surfers may be small in number, but they make up for that by their enthusiasm for doing things online. More than any other age group, seniors view the Internet as away to keep in touch with family members.

More than eighty percent (84 percent) of seniors said they first got Internet access for reasons unrelated to work or school. Of those, 48 percent said they were encouraged to do so by family members -- a higher percentage than any other age group. Another 45 percent said they first got Internet access because it was something they personally wanted to do. Very few wired seniors who first got online for personal reasons say that they were encouraged by friends to get access.

The Pew survey found that a significant shift in Internet access occurs around age 55. Some 52 percent of 50 to 54 year olds go online. But only 43 percent of 55 to 59 year olds use the Internet and just 34 percent of 60 to 64 year olds have been online. A scant 23 percent of 65 to 69 year olds go online and the numbers continue to decline from there.

The 50 and older group brings to the Internet the demographics that have made it an increasingly popular target for marketers and scam artists in recent years. Nearly 33 percent of senior surfers have annual incomes over $50,000 a year. Of the 56 percent who are still working, 8 percent are business owners, partners or corporate officers. Among those between the ages of 55 and 64, 31 percent have liquid assets (cash, stock) in excess of $100,000 and 15 percent have liquid assets in excess of $250,000.

The over 50 segment of the population is growing rapidly and will continue to do so at least another 15 years. The baby boomers, born between l946 and 1964 started turning 50 in 1996 and there are more than 80 million of them in the pipeline.

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