As digital reading becomes increasingly embedded in the cultural and informational lives of users, ensuring equitable access for aging populations has emerged as both a social imperative and a design challenge. While digital reading platforms have advanced rapidly in terms of interface design, content delivery, and interactivity, their development has not always kept pace with the needs of older adults—one of the fastest-growing user demographics. This study addresses the intersection of digital inclusion and reading technology by investigating how age-friendly design can support older adults' meaningful participation in digital reading environments. Utilizing a multi-method approach, the research combines policy analysis, in-depth interviews with older users, and user-centered evaluation of leading reading platforms to build a structured framework for assessing age-appropriate digital services. Eighteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with older adults aged 55 to 76, selected to ensure diversity in gender, digital literacy, and reading habits. Additionally, seven widely-used digital reading apps were selected for empirical evaluation based on their market relevance, functional variety, and popularity among general users. The assessment was conducted through direct user testing combined with researcher observation and post-use interviews. Through qualitative and observational methods, the study captures the pain points experienced by older users and identifies systemic gaps in the user experience. The evaluation focuses on six core dimensions—visual readability, operational simplicity, reading interaction, audio-supported functions, content adaptability, and security assurance—which collectively determine the accessibility and usability of digital reading applications for senior users. Crucially, this study proposes a four-tiered logic model—usability, ease, engagement, and trust—to guide the development of age-friendly service strategies. This model extends beyond conventional accessibility metrics by incorporating emotional comfort, digital confidence, and long-term trust into platform evaluation and design. In doing so, it aligns the goals of inclusive technology design with broader frameworks of active aging, user empowerment, and digital citizenship. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in bridging the gap between aging studies and digital reading research. While prior work in digital reading has focused on personalization, gamification, and content diversity, few studies have incorporated the lived experience of elderly users into design assessment. This research addresses this gap by foregrounding older users not as passive recipients of technology, but as active participants with evolving preferences, cognitive habits, and content needs. From a practical perspective, the study offers a scalable and policy-informed framework for evaluating age-friendliness across digital reading services. These insights are applicable not only to developers and UX designers, but also to publishers, platform strategists, and policymakers seeking to enhance the reach and social value of digital reading. By establishing design benchmarks rooted in user diversity and aging dynamics, this research pushes the boundaries of how digital reading is conceptualized—not merely as a technological product, but as a socially embedded service that must adapt to demographic change.