Forrester recently published a Digital Seniors demographic overview, reporting that 60% of U.S. Seniors are now online. Surprised? That’s over 20 million active internet users 65 and older! But even with such a large number of seniors emailing, gaming, and connecting with friends, there’s never been a true social network created exclusively for seniors. That is, until now. Connected Living is tapping into this demographic by integrating social networking with personalized digital support for seniors.

Connected Living is a powerful, user-friendly tool that allows seniors to navigate the web quickly. The program links contact data to Skype and email accounts, allowing any senior on the network to communicate with anyone else with no more than two clicks. Everything the company offers is also touchscreen-enabled, catering to the needs of older adults. And while the company mostly equips assisted living centers at the moment, they have plans to take their network nationwide.

So how does the network make money? It currently draws profits through service programs. While accounts may be free to users, the company bills the assisted living center for IT services, and training for residents. In return, Connected Living provides a safe service environment to all users with no risk of accidentally downloading viruses. But sadly, this also means the service (for now) is locked down tightly, with little potential for businesses to use it as an advertising tool directed at seniors.

What your business can do however is learn from Connected Living’s example. Seniors are increasingly willing to embrace the internet, but only if the internet embraces their needs in return. An emphasis on legible text, straightforward language, and a proposal that is simple yet not condescending — these are all features of Connected Living and other sites designed to address the needs of senior citizens.

As the baby boomer generation ages (1 in 5 American citizens will be over 65 years old by 2030), companies are going out of their way to make social media tools that will appeal to seniors. Google Plus, Linkedin, and Facebook already make concerted efforts to attract more senior users. And with the increasing desire people have to stay connected with their family members via social media and the internet, it may be that even more seniors will begin to pick up these traditional networks as well.