Boomers get plenty of criticism, but several old-school skills remain surprisingly relevant—and the data backs up some of them.
1. Pick Up the Phone
Boomers are still the generation most comfortable with actual phone calls. Pew found 76% of adults 65+ say they use their cellphone to make or receive calls every day, compared with 58% of adults under 30. When a conversation gets complicated, Boomers are often more willing to simply call.
2. Keep Long-Term Friendships
Older Americans maintain surprisingly strong social networks. Pew found 69% of adults 65 and older say they have at least one close friend they can turn to for support. That’s a skill worth noticing in an era when younger adults increasingly report loneliness.
3. Stick With Things
Boomers have had more time to develop patience with long-term commitments. In a 2025 AARP survey, 71% of adults 50+ said they feel optimistic about their future, suggesting older Americans aren’t simply coasting—they’re maintaining a strong sense of purpose.
4. Know How to Shop Without an Algorithm
Boomers remain much more comfortable with traditional retail. Numerator’s 2026 data shows Walmart captures 17% of Boomer consumer spending, more than Amazon’s 9%. They still know how to walk into a store, compare options and leave with what they came for.
5. Show Up in Person
Older Americans are less dependent on digital communication for maintaining relationships. Pew found adults 65+ are more likely than younger adults to maintain regular contact with family through in-person visits, rather than relying primarily on digital communication.
6. Make “Old School” Look Useful Again
The bigger surprise is that many supposedly outdated habits are becoming valuable precisely because they’re disappearing. Calling instead of texting, shopping in person, maintaining friendships and showing up physically are all skills that require effort—and Boomers never had the option of outsourcing them to an app.
Sources:
- Pew Research Center, Americans’ Use of Mobile Devices, 2025
- Pew Research Center, Friendships and Social Connections Among Older Adults, 2025
- AARP, 2025 Tech Trends and Adults 50+ Survey
- Numerator, 2026 Generational Consumer Trends