The New Digital Generation: In Retirement Living, Tech-Savvy Seniors Plug In

Revera Report says staying online supports social connections and independent living for seniors and those in assisted living retirement homes. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) September 30, 2012 - TORONTO, Canada - A new generation is living their life online - not teenagers, but today's seniors. More than ever, they're using technology to stay socially connected, according to research from Revera, a Canadian leader in Retirement Living Homes and senior care and services.

In Canada, 27% of seniors 75-plus are now online, up from 5% in 2000 (Statistics Canada). In the U.S., fully one-third of this age group (34%) is online (Pew Research Center).

The Revera Report on Tech-Savvy Seniors found that among these online seniors:

• 53% use social networking sites like Facebook
• 20% uses Skype or Facetime to connect with friends and family
• 88% are online at least daily
• 70% say technology is key in helping them remain at home as long as possible
• 75% feel that technology - from online shopping to keeping in touch with loved ones - can make their lives easier

Revera conducted the survey in partnership with Leger Marketing, to discover the attitudes and behaviours of older Canadians towards technology use.

At Revera's Forest Hill Place, a retirement living home in Toronto, 88-year-old Bertha Kronenberg goes online often to stay connected with family in South Africa. "The computer is invaluable to me. I don't know what I would do without it," says Kronenberg.

To examine the impact of technology on seniors, Revera is also working with the University of Toronto's Technologies for Aging Gracefully Lab (TAGlab). The three-year partnership involves research at the university and visits by TAGlab researchers to Revera retirement homes to test new technologies.

"We know for instance that Canadians want to age at home," says Dr. Ronald Baecker, TAGlab founder and lead researcher. "One way we can help them do this is by creating new innovations that will address some of the big challenges they face like isolation and home health care monitoring."

Whether older people are receiving home care, or living in homes for seniors or retirement apartments, technology will continue to play a pivotal role in their lifestyle, says Trish Barbato, Senior Vice President of Home Health and Business Development at Revera Inc.

The Revera Report on Tech-Savvy Seniors is one in a series that Revera is releasing on various issues related to assisted living retirement homes and the aging experience of seniors and retirement living.

"There is such potential for technology to help seniors stay socially active and independent," says Barbato.

About Revera Inc.
Revera is a leading provider of seniors' accommodation, care and services; built on 50-year history of helping seniors live life to the fullest. Our nearly 30,000 dedicated employees continually strive to serve a diverse group of clients and to offer choices to meet their individual preferences. With more than 250 sites across Canada and parts of the U.S., we work to enhance lives in our retirement communities, long term care homes, U.S. nursing and rehab centres and through the provision of home health services. Canadian-owned and operated, Revera serves approximately 30,000 clients every day, with the core values of respect, integrity, compassion, and excellence at the heart of our business. Find out more about Revera at www.reveraliving.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

For further information please contact:
Sandra Vlaar Ingram, Revera Inc., (289) 777-1401

For more information about Revera, a leading provider of seniors' accommodation, care and services, Retirement Living Homes and Assisted Living Retirement Homes visit their site or call today.

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