It's a classic trope in the oneeloli genre. JS-san to OL-chan, Be Careful Onee-san, Mai-chan no Onee-san Shiiku Gohan and many more all come to mind.
I would guess because this makes the power dynamics seem less imbalanced. If the older person is completely helpless and basically at the mercy of the younger person and never really in the position to take advantage of them, it makes the concept easier to swallow for broader audiences.