For decades, older adults were cast as hesitant, even resistant, when it came to digital technology. But a new survey suggests that stereotype no longer holds.
A study conducted by the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) in collaboration with McKinsey finds that India’s baby boomers—those now in their late 50s, 60s and beyond—are far more digitally engaged than previously assumed. What once seemed like a generational divide between paper letters and smartphones has blurred into a continuum of adaptation, resilience and everyday necessity.
Rethinking the “Tech-Shy” Label
The survey highlights a crucial flaw in earlier research: the questions themselves. Seniors were often asked if they considered themselves “digitally savvy,” a phrase unfamiliar and intimidating to many. Unsurprisingly, most said no.
But when ASLI researchers reframed the question—Do you use WhatsApp? Do you shop for groceries online? Have you ever joined a Zoom call?—the answers painted an entirely different picture. In fact, large numbers of older adults use these platforms daily. What younger generations label “apps” or “services,” seniors simply call “life.”
Technology as Family, Freedom, and Faith
For India’s elders, WhatsApp is less about chat bubbles and more about keeping families stitched together across cities and continents. Online grocery shopping isn’t about convenience—it’s about independence. Voice assistants such as Alexa or Siri become companions, playing devotional songs at dawn or reminding them to take medication.
The pandemic served as a turning point. Forced to navigate lockdowns, many seniors began using video calls, digital banking, online payments, and telemedicine. What began as necessity quickly turned into habit. Today, these tools remain woven into their routines.
A Market Too Big to Ignore
The findings challenge not only cultural stereotypes but also corporate strategies. For years, technology companies have designed products around millennials and Gen Z. Yet the survey underscores that older adults are not only willing users, but also loyal ones—seeking reliability, clarity, and purpose in their digital tools.
As India continues its rapid digital transformation, the country’s baby boomers are emerging as an overlooked but formidable force in shaping how technology is used—and how it ought to be built.
