Best Practices for Living Labs When Studying Older Adults Living in Rural Communities

Abstract There are two core concepts that make living labs distinguishable: involvement of users as co-creators and evaluation in a real-world setting. Living labs increase the potential for product acceptance and adoption due to testing and tailoring with target users. Currently, there is a lack of a universally accepted guideline for best practices. The objective of this review is to identify the best practices of living labs that can be recognized by the scientific community and followed in future labs. A 5-stage scoping review, following Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework, was used to map out the coverage of different aspects of living lab methodology. A systematic search for articles involving living lab framework and older adults published between 2016-2021, was conducted in seven databases. Nine articles were included after review, the majority of which were published in health journals and were from Italy and the United States. An overview of consistent user involvement in the innovation process, real-world testing vs. laboratory testing, and participant scope findings will be shared. Multiple rounds of user feedback, real-world testing, and a small but diverse participant group were the most successful in increasing positive sentiments about the products tested in a living lab environment. The lack of published articles on living lab frameworks studying older adults indicate a gap in the literature. Creating a universally accepted definition for living labs and guidelines for best practices will allow for scientific validity and comparisons of studies and may increase the use and popularity of living labs.

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The Italian Case of Lecco Innovation Living Lab: Stakeholders’ Needs and Activities to Contribute to the Technological Innovation Process in Healthcare

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su122410266 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (24) ◽

pp. 10266

Author(s):

Laura Marone ◽

Rossella Onofrio ◽

Cristina Masella

Keyword(s):

Technological Innovation ◽

Single Case ◽

Innovation Process ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Italian Case ◽

Complex Process ◽

Living Lab ◽

Domain Specific Knowledge ◽

Living Labs

Healthcare technological innovation is a very complex process in which different actors interact with each other, creating a large number of interconnections and synergies in the design of technological innovations. Despite the increasing number of living labs (LLs) in healthcare, building and maintaining LLs for technological innovation in healthcare is challenging. Collaboration with stakeholders remains an issue of major concern in healthcare. The purpose of this paper is to identify stakeholders’ needs in building an LL in healthcare and to plan activities to foster the innovation process. The paper is based on an exploratory single case study investigating an Italian LL. Eight stakeholders’ needs were identified and validated. Specific activities were identified as improving the innovation process in terms of the stakeholders’ needs. The study contributes to the development of domain-specific knowledge and, as such, to the fostering of studies on and the implementation of LLs in healthcare.

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ORAL CANCER SCREENING IN NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED OLDER ADULTS LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES OF SOUTHEAST GEORGIA

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3235 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S883-S884

Author(s):

Swaha Pattanaik ◽

Bettye Apenteng ◽

Adrienne L Cohen ◽

Georgia Dounis ◽

Raymona Lawrence

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Oral Cancer ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Oral Diseases ◽

Key Informants ◽

Oral Cancer Screening ◽

Common Sign

Abstract The older population in the United States is growing at an unprecedented rate. Oral diseases such as oral cancer can affect physical, psychological, and social well-being in older adults. Oral cancer screening can prevent development of the disease in high-risk individuals. The purpose of this research was to assess determinants of preventive oral health behavior including oral cancer screening in noninstitutionalized older adults living in rural/medically underserved communities of southeast Georgia. A mixed methods sequential explanatory design was used. Surveys were administered to 206 individuals aged 50 and older. Phone interviews were conducted with 22 individuals from the survey sample and 11 key informants. The majority of the participants (83.01%) said they had never been examined for oral cancer by a doctor or a dentist. Those who correctly recognized the most common sign of oral cancer were about three times more likely (OR=3.75; 95% CI: 1.04 – 13.50) to have had an exam for oral cancer (p=0.04). The survey participants who lived alone were more likely (OR = 4.39; 95% CI = 0.95 – 20.26) to have been examined for oral cancer (p = 0.05). During the interview, older adult participants rarely mentioned oral cancer with regards to an unhealthy mouth. The interview participants revealed that living alone gave them more time to pay attention to their health. For the older adults, prevention of oral diseases was grounded in the autonomy in their own behaviors, while the key informants saw more macro community and systems- level factors as the solution.

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A Guide to Online Applications for User Involvement in Living Lab Innovation

Advances in Business Information Systems and Analytics - Information Systems and Technology for Organizations in a Networked Society ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-4062-7.ch003 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 34-52

Author(s):

Asbjørn Følstad ◽

Amela Karahasanovic

Keyword(s):

Full Advantage ◽

User Involvement ◽

Collaborative Process ◽

Living Lab ◽

Living Labs ◽

Networked Society ◽

Innovation And Development

The use of Living Labs is gaining importance as an approach to involve users in innovation and development, serving to make users active participants in the development of the networked society. However, Living Labs are currently not taking full advantage of online applications to support user involvement, even though such applications are gaining impact in other fields of innovation. The purpose of this chapter is to: (i) present a framework to classify and relate online applications for user involvement to the Living Lab context and (ii) present a set of guidelines for the usage of such applications within Living Labs. The framework and the guidelines are the results of a collaborative process involving seven Living Lab researchers from four Nordic Living Labs and are meant to guide Living Lab administrators on whether or how to use online applications for user involvement. The framework and the guidelines might also be useful for the designers of online applications.

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Towards the Realization of the ICT Education Living Lab – The TechTeachers.co.za Success Story

10.28945/2157 ◽

2015 ◽

Author(s):

Albertus A. K. Buitendag ◽

Frederik Gerhardus Hattingh ◽

Matt Hains

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Best Practices ◽

Secondary School ◽

Community Of Practice ◽

South African ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Success Story ◽

Web Based ◽

Living Lab ◽

Living Labs

[The final form of this paper was published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology.] This paper presents the success story of the intuitive vision of an ICT high school educator in South Africa. The growth and evolution of a Community of Practice, towards a full-fledged living lab is investigated. A grounded theory study analyses the living lab concept and highlights some of the current challenges secondary high school ICT education face within the South African educational landscape. Some of the concepts, ideas, best practices and lessons learned in the establishment and running of two web based technologies to support secondary school ICT subjects is discussed. The researchers present a motivation for the use of living labs to address some of the issues identified and highlights how the existing platforms fits into bigger design.

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Deprescribing Antipsychotics Based on Real-World Evidence to Inform Clinical Practice: Safety Considerations in Managing Older Adults with Dementia

Frontiers in Pharmacology ◽

10.3389/fphar.2021.706750 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie Hsieh ◽

Jing Yuan ◽

Z. Kevin Lu ◽

Minghui Li

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Clinical Practice ◽

Healthcare Utilization ◽

Real World ◽

Medical Costs ◽

The United States ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Dementia Patients ◽

Real World Evidence ◽

Out Of Pocket Costs

Background: Antipsychotics are commonly used in dementia patients but have potential risks that often outweigh clinical benefits. Limited studies have assessed the healthcare utilization and medical costs associated with antipsychotic use, especially those focused on cumulative days of use.Objectives: To examine clinical and economic burdens associated with different cumulative days of antipsychotic use in older adults with dementia in the United States.Methods: This study used Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (2015–2017). Older (≥65 years) Medicare beneficiaries with dementia, without concurrent schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Huntingon’s disease, or Tourette’s syndrome were included. Antipsychotic use was measured using Medicare Part D prescription events. Healthcare utilization was measured as inpatient services, outpatient services, and emergency room (ER) visits. Total medical costs were classified as Medicare and out-of-pocket costs. The logistic regression, negative binomial regression, and generalized linear model with a log link and gamma distribution were used to examine factors, healthcare utilization, and medical costs. Survey sampling weights were applied to generate national estimates.Results: Among older adults with dementia, 13.18% used antipsychotics. Factors associated with antipsychotic use were being Hispanic (OR: 2.90; 95% CI: 1.45, 5.78), widowed (OR: 3.52; 95% CI: 1.46, 8.48), and single (OR: 3.25; 95% CI: 1.53, 6.87). Compared to non-users, antipsychotic use was associated with higher inpatient visits (IRR: 2.11; 95% CI 1.53, 2.90), ER visits (IRR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.21, 2.13), total costs (β: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.71), Medicare costs (β: 0.49; 95% CI 0.26, 0.72), and out-of-pocket costs (β: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.97). With the increase in cumulative days of antipsychotic use, the magnitude of clinical and economic burdens was decreased.Conclusion: The significant clinical and economic burdens associated with antipsychotic use, especially with short-term use, provide real-world evidence to inform clinical practice on deprescribing antipsychotics among community-dwelling geriatric dementia patients.

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Best Practices for Working with Latinx Older Adults in Mental Healthcare

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 857-857

Author(s):

Kendall Weber ◽

Lisa Stone

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Best Practices ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Mental Healthcare ◽

Later Life ◽

The United States ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Health Providers ◽

Starting Point

Abstract Background The number of older adults in the United States is growing rapidly. The percentage of individuals from ethnic minority groups that make up this population is also rapidly increasing, with Latinx older adults comprising the fastest growing subgroup. However, Latinx older adults historically underutilize mental health services, in large part due to the lack of culturally sensitive and informed care provided by mental health professionals (de Guzman et al., 2015). However, to date, comprehensive, evidence-based best practices for mental healthcare for Latinx older adults do not exist. Method: A literature review was conducted of research on the developmental, social, cognitive, biological, and affective bases of behavior among Latinx older adults. Results Taking an integrated, evidence-based psychological approach with cultural considerations, we found that the literature could broadly be organized into six best practice guidelines. We propose assessing for and incorporating the following topics into mental health treatment of Latinx older adults: immigration status, acculturation, attitudes towards mental health, physical and cognitive health disparities, discrimination, and unique preferences for care structure in later life. Discussion These guidelines are intended to represent basic principles to incorporate into practice and do not represent an exhaustive list of factors to consider for a heterogenous group of older adults. Instead, the six, empirically-based guidelines proposed in this study can serve as a starting point for increasing mental health providers’ awareness of the unique experiences of Latinx older adults, with the aim of improving the experience of this historically underserved population in mental healthcare treatment.

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Rural America’s Hospitals are Not Prepared to Protect Older Adults From a Surge in COVID-19 Cases

Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine ◽

10.1177/2333721420936168 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 233372142093616 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Natalie M. Davoodi ◽

Margaret Healy ◽

Elizabeth M. Goldberg

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Older Adult ◽

The United States ◽

Rural America ◽

Health News ◽

Medical Supplies ◽

Poor Outcomes ◽

The U.S

Rural communities with predominantly older adult populations could be especially vulnerable to poor outcomes from COVID-19 due to lacking intensive care unit (ICU) capacity. Our objective is to describe the scope of the problem by summarizing population totals of older adults in rural America and their community’s ICU bed availability. We performed a review of peer-reviewed literature, in addition to hand searching non–peer-reviewed and governmental/non-governmental agency reports, using the Kaiser Health News data report to assess the number of ICU beds in 10 predominantly rural states with the highest older adult populations. We found that while 19% of the U.S. population lives in rural counties, these counties contain only 1% of the ICU beds in the United States. Counties particularly at risk for inadequate ICU capacity include Crittenden, Arkansas; Cass, Minnesota; and Sagadahoc, Maine. Solutions include building new delivery systems, reopening previously closed rural hospitals, and calling on local businesses to create medical supplies. In summary, the 10 million older adults in rural communities in the United States may face challenges with obtaining critical care treatment due to the increased need of ICU beds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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A Guide to Online Applications for User Involvement in Living Lab Innovation

Economics ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-8468-3.ch024 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 426-444

Author(s):

Asbjørn Følstad ◽

Amela Karahasanović

Keyword(s):

Full Advantage ◽

User Involvement ◽

Collaborative Process ◽

Living Lab ◽

Living Labs ◽

Networked Society ◽

Innovation And Development

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Assessing Technical Assistance Needs Among Recovery Residence Operators in the United States

10.21203/rs.3.rs-42093/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jennifer Miles ◽

Terry Bunn ◽

Amber Kizewski ◽

Tyler Jennings ◽

Teresa Waters ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Best Practices ◽

Technical Assistance ◽

Systems Of Care ◽

The United States ◽

Community Perception ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Voluntary Certification ◽

Recovery Housing

Abstract Background: Recovery support services such as recovery housing may assist individuals with increasing their access to social support, employment services, and systems of care. Lack of evidence-based practices and calls for increased oversight of these settings suggests a growing need for technical assistance and training for recovery residence owners and staff members, yet little is known about their areas of greatest technical assistance needs, and if there are differences between the needs of owners/operators of one recovery residence vs. owners/operators of multiple recovery residences. Methods: We developed and administered a survey to assess the technical assistance needs of recovery housing operators in the United States using a convenience sample of individuals who own or operate a recovery residence (N= 376). The survey was disseminated electronically via e-mail using REDCap to collect survey responses. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the survey respondents, and bivariate analyses were conducted to test for differences in TA needs by the number of residences owned by the respondent (1 vs. 2+). Thematic analysis methods were used to analyze open text survey response items focusing on challenges, resources needed to overcome challenges, and community perception of recovery residences. Results: A total of 77 owners/operators completed the survey (20% response rate), representing urban, suburban, and rural communities. Almost one-half (45%) of respondents were the owner of their residence(s), and more than half (56%) of the respondents reported that their residence was certified based on a set of national best practices for recovery housing. Differences were observed between number of owned residences; owners/operators of a single residence expressed greater interest in technical assistance on house-specific policies and linkage to established systems of care, whereas owners/operators of multiple residences were more interested in technical assistance on complex topics such as building financial sustainability, and incorporation of best practices into their recovery residences. Conclusion: As an increasing number of states move to implement voluntary certification or licensing for recovery residences, targeted training and technical assistance to owners/operators will facilitate the successful adoption of recovery residence best practices and quality standards.

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How to Make Living Labs More Financially Sustainable? Case Studies in Italy and the Netherlands

Engineering Management Research ◽

10.5539/emr.v8n1p11 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 11 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Edoardo Gualandi ◽

A. Georges L. Romme

Keyword(s):

Public Administration ◽

Customer Value ◽

Technology Development ◽

New Technology ◽

Public Funding ◽

Innovation Process ◽

Urban Environments ◽

Sustainable Business ◽

Living Lab ◽

Living Labs

In many urban environments, so-called Living Labs have been created. A Living Lab (LL) is an emerging innovation methodology that may serve to reduce the gap between new technology development and the adoption of this new technology by users, by bringing together all key actors in the innovation process: public administration, education institutes, companies, and citizens. However, a substantial number of LLs struggle to translate the customer value created into a sustainable business model. As a result, many LLs are financially not sustainable. Several previous studies found that most LLs primarily rely on public grants; thus, they often stop their activities when public funding ends. In this paper, we draw on a comprehensive literature review and practical evidence from three cases, to develop a framework of various funding options which can be employed by any LL that seeks to become more financially sustainable.

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