Screen time worries? Older Americans spend 22 hours weekly online

Are mom, dad, grandma and grandpa “too online”? A new survey looked at how older Americans are using screens and technology — and it turns out their habits may not be so different from their younger relatives.

Commissioned by Centrum Silver, a multivitamin supplement for cognitive support, the research set out to learn more about the cognitive abilities as people age. It found the average respondent spends a collective 22 hours per week in front of some type of screen.

The Talker Research survey of 2,000 Americans aged 50 and over revealed most of their screentime is used watching TV, followed by searching the internet, playing a game and working on a computer.

They also spend time daily talking or videochatting on the phone, scrolling through social media and reading on an e-reader or tablet.