Age-friendly renovation solutions, smart care mats, age-friendly electric beds, and lift-assist sofas… Age-friendly smart home products are emerging as a new growth driver in the home consumption market.

　　Currently, the emerging home-living needs of middle-aged and older consumers are attracting significant attention from the industry. From a consumption trends perspective, the silver generation is no longer seeking traditional, one-dimensional furniture or appliances; instead, they are looking for smarter, more integrated home solutions—indeed, comprehensive system-based solutions that can meet their entire lifestyle needs. Consequently, many companies are positioning themselves in this space, seizing the opportunity to unlock the next wave of growth for the sector.

　　“Age-friendly renovations” have become a new opportunity.

　　Fear of falling while walking and slipping in the bathroom are common daily concerns for many older adults—hence the growing demand for age-friendly home modifications.

　　From a market perspective, “age-friendly home renovations” represent a new opportunity for businesses. Recently, Shangpin Home Delivery launched its “Vibrant Seniors” product line, which not only reshapes the industry’s understanding of the consumption patterns of older adults but also demonstrates to home-furnishing companies the potential of tapping into the silver economy to drive incremental market growth.

　　In fact, Shangpin Home Delivery is by no means the only home-furnishings company developing age-friendly products. Our reporter has learned that companies across sectors—including home appliances, furniture, technology, and e-commerce—are now taking the lead in this space, deeply exploring the needs of the senior population. For example, Anxin Health & Wellness Group, which focuses on the elderly-care industry, has partnered with Panasonic to offer age-friendly renovation solutions to property developers; meanwhile, Dongpeng Sanitary Ware is innovating in age-friendly products and design, launching “Wellness Stations” that feature human-sensing flooring and graphene-based heated wall panels to create a warm and comfortable bathroom environment for seniors.

　　In addition, Xilinmen has formed a strategic partnership with Huawei to launch a new smart care mattress, offering an intelligent sleep-care solution for seniors; Midea has introduced “Meiyixiang,” a high-end, age-friendly smart brand specifically designed for older adults, addressing multiple aspects of their daily living challenges. This year, Huawei has also rolled out multi-scenario AI-based health-and-wellness solutions centered on AI-powered health-monitoring sensors.

　　From smart door locks to smart toilets, and from smart beds and smart mattresses to smart clotheslines, a wide range of smart home products are currently selling like hotcakes. According to reports, this surge in sales is evident both in overseas markets and in domestic retail channels, particularly

　　On the e-commerce front, sales of smart home products are gaining even stronger momentum.

　　“Smart Homes” Play a Key Role

　　What key areas should be prioritized in age-friendly home renovations? Currently, smart home technology plays a crucial role, with products such as age-friendly bathroom vanities, lift-assist sofas, and smart electric senior beds. In fact, comprehensive “whole-home smart upgrades” are increasingly favored by consumers.

　　During a visit to a smart elderly-care enterprise in Huangpu, the reporter found that “whole-home smart renovation” can cover various living spaces, including the living room, kitchen, and bedroom, with tailored smart features configured for different appliances and furnishings. For example, the kitchen can be equipped with a fire- and water-proof alarm system, the living room can feature fall-detection sensors, and the smart bed in the bedroom can monitor sleep patterns and key health metrics, while also enabling proactive risk intervention.

　　According to reports, smart home technology can effectively help senior consumers create a comprehensive, all-scenario smart living experience. In this regard, angel investor Guo Tao stated, “Smart home products can provide older adults with a safer, more convenient, and more comfortable home environment, making them highly popular among the silver generation.”

　　So, what factors should enterprises consider when developing smart products tailored for older adults? “The operation of age-friendly smart home products must be simple and convenient. It is essential to thoroughly identify users’ pain points and needs in areas such as monitoring, emergency calling, and early warning, while also extending the functionality of these products to better align with the specific needs and characteristics of older adults, thereby continuously enhancing user loyalty and satisfaction,” said Guo Tao.

　　Hong Yong, a digital economy expert, stated, “Enterprises should specifically tailor smart home products for senior consumers, engage senior consumers as brand advocates, develop ‘larger-scale’ online shopping interfaces optimized for this demographic, promote the application of live-stream e-commerce and metaverse-based e-commerce, and enhance interaction with senior users.” He added that companies should leverage the needs of senior consumers to build flexible supply chains and offer personalized customization.

　　“A one-stop” solution is the trend.

　　Currently, thanks to the support of numerous enterprises, sales of age-friendly home products are on a growth trajectory. Taking Tmall as an example, the platform has established a “Senior-Friendly Industry Division” within its Home & Living category. In the first half of 2023, sales of age-friendly furniture surged by 400% year on year, with particularly strong performance from “smart” electric senior beds and “stand-up” assistive sofas.

　　Notably, current home-furnishings offerings targeted at the silver demographic largely focus on age-friendly design—such as senior-friendly bathroom vanities, sofas with lift-assist features, and smart electric beds for the elderly. However, the vibrant 50-to-70-year-old segment often enjoys physical capabilities that are no less robust than those of younger adults. “What the silver generation really wants is not a single piece of furniture or appliance, but rather a comprehensive, system-based solution that meets their holistic lifestyle needs,” says a representative from Shangpin Home Delivery. If products are designed solely with “elderly care” functionality in mind—without also addressing the desire for personal enjoyment and self-satisfaction—they risk becoming overly narrow in scope and lacking competitive edge.

　　According to the “2023 Insights into Consumption Trends in China’s In-Home Elderly Care Space,” whether children are making purchases on behalf of their elderly parents or middle-aged and older adults are investing in self-improvement, factors such as personal satisfaction, safety, convenience, health, and caregiving remain central concerns. Moreover, compared with “purchases made by children,” middle-aged and older adults place greater emphasis on the sense of personal enjoyment and well-being that comes from enhancing their home environment. In addition, since renovating homes and replacing household products can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, many seniors—driven by concerns about “being inconvenienced” or “running into pitfalls”—prefer convenient, one-stop solutions. Although the current home furnishings market offers a wide range of products tailored to the silver demographic, including bathroom fixtures, furniture, and appliances, these offerings are predominantly individual items rather than systematically integrated solutions.

　　In the future, the potential of home-based age-friendly renovations is expected to be further unlocked. Jiang Han, a senior researcher at the Pangu Think Tank, stated that such renovations can stimulate the development of related industries—including interior decoration, furniture, and smart home technologies—thereby boosting economic growth and creating more jobs.