MUMBAI - The last three years may feel almost like a blur, which is largely due to the unusual situation brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. While almost all age groups were at risk, it was the older population and those with comorbidities who required special attention.

This highlights a pertinent insight that might completely alter the way people think about healthcare and medicine - which is that average life expectancy has increased to 70 years or more in many countries. An article by the World Health Organization reveals that by 2030, one in six people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. This means that “the share of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double.”

These numbers can also be attributed to advances in healthcare, which is well-supported by new-age technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Today, the elderly can rely on smart devices for the diagnosis of various diseases; they can also ensure social interaction with voice-assisted products like Alexa and Siri. However, to strike a balance between increasing lifespans and an ever-increasing elderly and aging population, it is critical to design technologies that are inclusive in their very being and can benefit all.

Before delving deeper into this subject, one should first take a look at aging and how technology can be a reliable companion during this stage of life.

Link between aging and technology

Most people associate aging with wrinkled skin and decreased stamina, but by definition it is an outcome of molecular and cellular damage that has happened over a long period of time. Aging certainly does translate in