Metaverse, metaverse, metaverse... It's everywhere and it's supposed to be the future. All new technology brings new benefits but can also affect certain groups of people. How does the metaverse benefit seniors and how can it affect them?
The metaverse (in case you still don't know what it is): It is a virtual world where humans interact and exchange experiences through the use of avatars. It has all the signs of becoming a massive trend and is something that is going to revolutionize the way we think, create and communicate as humans.
The potential of the metaverse for older adults is that it expands their physical world. Virtual experiences can combat isolation, and loneliness and reinforce autonomy.
Seniors may have experiences that would not be possible in real life due to their physical conditions or financial issues. For example, skydiving or visiting the Louvre Museum.
On the other hand, making seniors familiar with and implementing this type of technology presents a great challenge. Either due to ignorance or perceived value. In a survey conducted by market research company Toluna, 54% of respondents age 55 and older had never heard of the metaverse and 45% said they were not interested in trying virtual experiences. These results are expected to change in the next ten years due to generational change and advances in the use of technologies.
As augmented reality and virtual reality capabilities improve and hardware costs decline, consumers of all ages will be able to access the metaverse. Those who are already comfortable interacting in online social environments will spend even more time in immersive 3D social environments.
What do you think the products and services for seniors will be like in times of the metaverse?