AbstractTechnology acceptance and use by older adults is gaining increasing attention in research due to demographic change. Various technology acceptance models are presented in this contribution and their explanatory value is critically discussed. Contextual factors related to technology acceptance in relation to older individuals have been scarcely researched and are rarely considered in explanatory models. A model that explains and predicts technology acceptance in older individuals should include factors such as „service“, „design“, „integration in habituation“, „gender“, „technology generation“ und „symbolic meaning“. The inclusion of end users into development of age-specific technologies is also essential for acceptance.