In living rooms across Britain, an unexpected role reversal is taking place. Adult children glance up from their own phones to see their retired parents hunched over glowing screens, endlessly scrolling news feeds, videos and messages. New research from Help for Seniors suggests that for many families, the heaviest device user in the house is now over 65.?
The organisation surveyed 2,000 UK adults who all have at least one parent aged 65 or older, asking how their parents’ mobile habits compare to their own. Around 32.2% said one or both parents probably have more screentime than they do, and that this is a concern. Another 28.75% felt their parents’ screentime is higher but did not view it as a problem, hinting at how normal phone?heavy days have become in retirement. Only 19.05% described their parents as rarely using mobile devices, and 20% reported parents who use them regularly but less than their adult children.?
Beneath those numbers lie very human worries. Asked about their biggest concerns, 61.65% of respondents highlighted online fraud and scams as the top issue. Half (50.05%) said they worry their parents are being influenced by political propaganda, 45.65% pointed to negative social media content and 44.65% feared that screentime is edging out former passions such as gardening, crafts or walking. Another 39.4% expressed concern about AI?generated fake content, a relatively new but fast?growing threat.?
Almost half of the adults surveyed (48.7%) have already tried talking to their parents about cutting down, while 10.35% are concerned but have not yet had the conversation. Some describe seeing their parents pick up the phone out of habit whenever they are bored or alone. When asked what they think is driving over?use, 29.4% cited a lack of other interests, 24.55% said parents cannot easily pursue the interests they do have, and 19.4% blamed poor weather that keeps them indoors. For others, the phone is a lifeline: 26.65% said their parents use devices to stay connected to friends and family, though the same proportion believed there is some compulsive checking involved.?
Nathan Cook of Help for Seniors believes families need to find a way to talk about the issue without shaming older adults:
“For years, the conversation about screentime has focused almost entirely on children and teenagers. These findings show that many of our parents and grandparents are now living highly digital lives too – sometimes spending more time on their phones than we do. On the one hand, that connectivity can be a lifeline, helping older adults stay in touch, entertained and informed. On the other, families are clearly worried about scams, propaganda and AI?driven fake content, as well as the risk that devices quietly crowd out hobbies, movement and real?world connection. We need to move beyond the idea that screentime is just a ‘young people’ issue and start talking honestly, and kindly, about what healthy, age?friendly technology use looks like in later life.”??
Help for Seniors is encouraging people to use those conversations to suggest practical ideas – from joining clubs to planning regular offline activities together – so that older adults have appealing alternatives to constant scrolling.?
