AARP Hearing Center
Background
Technological developments have tremendous potential to enhance the lives of older adults, better enabling them to live independently and with autonomy as they grow older. The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) has already brought many benefits. For example, advancements in automated driving technology and the potential for fully self-driving cars can enhance the mobility of older adults who no longer drive (see also Vehicle Automation and Fully Self-Driving Cars). Smart homes likewise can increase independence by automating daily tasks and providing reminders for medications, appointments, and more. And telehealth and remote monitoring can help older adults get access to care from home when appropriate, which has been especially important for those living in rural or remote areas (see also Telehealth). However, not all populations benefit from these technologies, and there remains a need for consumer protections.
Universal design: The way that products and services are designed affects the range of people who are able to use them. An inclusive design process, sometimes known as universal design, ensures that products and services are age-friendly and accessible to people of all ability levels. It leads to products and services that can be adjusted or modified to meet individual needs and used with confidence by all people. Older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers can be consulted to ensure that new products and services meet their needs.
The sharing economy: This is an economic model in which technology platform companies help connect individuals to exchange goods and services. For example, older adults and others are increasingly generating income by renting out a room, apartment, or house on a short-term basis. This can be an important income source. But in some especially tight housing markets, an influx of short-term rental units may decrease the supply of longer-term housing and increase rents. This is especially a concern when private equity firms own a substantial share of short-term rental properties.
It is critical that access to products and services in the sharing economy be provided in a nondiscriminatory manner. Questions remain as to whether this is the case. Ongoing data analysis is needed to ensure equal access and quality. It is also important that consumers be provided with full information to enable them to use the sharing economy effectively.
Laws and regulations: Some new technologies are deployed in a manner to circumvent laws and regulations. For example, some financial technology firms, known as fintech companies, have argued that their financial products are not loans in order to avoid federal consumer protection regulations (see also Credit Products and Scores and Alternative Financial Services). It is important that policymakers be clear that existing consumer protection laws and regulations apply to new products, services, and technologies.
INCLUSIVE INNOVATION: Policy
INCLUSIVE INNOVATION: Policy
Universal design
Policymakers and the private sector should ensure that products, services, and emerging technologies, including those that use artificial intelligence, are created using an inclusive design process with universal design principles. This allows them to be used by the broadest range of ability levels and ages.
Policymakers and the private sector should ensure that underserved populations—including older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers—are consulted in the design process so that products and services meet their needs. Products and services should be tested on these populations.
The sharing economy
Policymakers and the private sector should ensure that the benefits of the sharing economy extend to older adults and traditionally underserved market populations. Services must be offered in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner. Service providers and consumers should have full information about the potential benefits and challenges.
Sharing economy companies should provide government regulators and researchers with data for evaluation purposes while protecting individual privacy. Data should be transparent, accurate, and independently verifiable by scholars and other stakeholders. Providers making demonstrably false or misleading claims in their data should be sanctioned.
Sharing economy providers should be able to obtain insurance (see also Insurance coverage in the sharing economy).
“Ride-hailing” services, also known as transportation network companies, should incorporate consumer protections (see also Transportation network companies).
Short-term rentals
Individual homeowners, particularly older homeowners, should be able to generate income by renting out their properties on a short-term basis. In especially tight housing markets in which short-term rentals have a demonstrated impact on affordability, policymakers may consider balancing this policy with the need to ensure the availability of affordable market-rate housing. In doing so, policymakers should ensure that individual homeowners have a reasonable opportunity to rent out their properties on a short-term basis.
Laws and regulations
Relevant consumer protection and civil rights laws and regulations should be updated as necessary to ensure that they apply as new technologies are developed and deployed.