Participatory Design: Apps from The Older Adults to The Older Adults

The use of technology to address health issues among older adults is becoming popular nowadays, but, in practice, there is very little systematic work on how to design and develop for older adults. This paper investigated participatory design in designing and developing two mobile apps to support community-living older adults to maintain their health. We examine 1) three older adults to individually participate in designing an app to self-monitor their fruit, vegetable and liquid intakes and 2) a group of four older adults participate in designing an app to address loneliness. In this paper, we present methodological insights of conducting participatory design with older adults. We focus more on the mutual learning between the researcher and the older adults as “designers”. We found that both methods provide rich data for developing the apps. However, when having a group of older adults together was found to stimulate the discussion among them easily, the participants were more open to critique the design suggestions, the moderator did not have to provoke often to guide the discussion, and in terms of time, although the session was slightly longer, it generates more data per participant. We acknowledge that the topic between the two groups was different, and each topic’s privacy was also a concern. We also acknowledge that the number of participants is low, and the participant’s technology background can be a concern. Either way, we recommend continuing to involve older adults in the technology design and development phase.

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UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN PREVENTION OF DEPRESSION IN OLDER ADULTS

Jurnal Kesehatan ◽

10.24252/kesehatan.v14i1.15934 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 14

Author(s):

Anung Ahadi Pradana ◽

Junaiti Sahar ◽

Henny Permatasari

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Information Technology ◽

Health Services ◽

Health Workers ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Health Sector ◽

Literature Study ◽

Screening Process ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Health Applications

Depression is a problem that often occurs in the older adults population. The use of technology in the implementation of health services has succeeded in increasing the effectiveness and quality of providing health services to patients. Several mobile apps that have been available have the potential to improve services for people with depression. The purpose of this study was to determine the use of information technology in preventing depression in older adults. This study uses a simple literature study method based on a specific theme from several databases including the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), ProQuest, and SAGE between 2014 and 2020. 27 journal articles that met the inclusion criteria passed the screening process using the PRISMA diagram. Research showed positive results in the use of technology for depressive conditions experienced by older adults. The importance of developing health applications in order to keep up with the conditions needs to be the attention of health workers. Easy, inexpensive, and attractive health applications can increase public curiosity and participation in the health sector.

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Perspectives of Stakeholders on Technology Use in the Care of Community-Living Older Adults with Dementia: A Systematic Literature Review

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare7020073 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 73 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Leonieke van Boekel ◽

Eveline Wouters ◽

Bea Grimberg ◽

Nardo van der Meer ◽

Katrien Luijkx

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Technology Use ◽

Older Persons ◽

Informal Caregivers ◽

Ease Of Use ◽

Community Living ◽

Formal Caregivers ◽

Peace Of Mind ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Privacy And Confidentiality

Although technology has the potential to promote aging in place, the use of technology remains scarce among community-living older adults with dementia. A reason might be that many stakeholders are involved who all have a different perspective on technology use (i.e., needs, wishes, attitudes, possibilities, and difficulties). We systematically searched the literature in order to provide an overview of perspectives of different stakeholders on technology use among community-living older adults with dementia. After selection, 46 studies were included. We mainly found perspectives of informal caregivers and, to a lesser extent, of persons with dementia and formal caregivers. Perspectives of suppliers of technology were not present. Shared perspectives among persons with dementia and informal and formal caregivers were, among other things, ease of use, stability and flexibility of technology, importance of privacy, and confidentiality. We also found that among older persons, fun and pleasure, in addition to enhancing freedom and independence, facilitates technology use. Informal caregivers’ peace of mind and relief of burden also appeared to be important in using technologies. Formal caregivers value the potential of technologies to improve monitoring and communication. Insight in shared, and conflicting perspectives of stakeholders are essential to enhance the use of technology.

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Understanding Technology Preferences and Requirements for Health Information Technologies Designed to Improve and Maintain the Mental Health and Well-Being of Older Adults: Participatory Design Study

JMIR Aging ◽

10.2196/21461 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. e21461

Author(s):

Haley M LaMonica ◽

Tracey A Davenport ◽

Anna E Roberts ◽

Ian B Hickie

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Information ◽

Technology Use ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Information Technologies ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Information Technologies ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Health And Well Being

Background Worldwide, the population is aging rapidly; therefore, there is a growing interest in strategies to support and maintain health and well-being in later life. Although familiarity with technology and digital literacy are increasing among this group, some older adults still lack confidence in their ability to use web-based technologies. In addition, age-related changes in cognition, vision, hearing, and perception may be barriers to adoption and highlight the need for digital tools developed specifically to meet the unique needs of older adults. Objective The aim of this study is to understand the use of technology by older adults in general and identify the potential barriers to and facilitators of the adoption of health information technologies (HITs) to support the health and well-being of older adults to facilitate implementation and promote user uptake. In addition, this study aims to co-design and configure the InnoWell Platform, a digital tool designed to facilitate better outcomes for people seeking mental health services, to meet the needs of adults 50 years and older and their supportive others (eg, family members, caregivers) to ensure the accessibility, engagement, and appropriateness of the technology. Methods Participants were adults 50 years and older and those who self-identified as a supportive other (eg, family member, caregiver). Participants were invited to participate in a 3-hour participatory design workshop using a variety of methods, including prompted discussion, creation of descriptive artifacts, and group-based development of user journeys. Results Four participatory design workshops were conducted, including a total of 21 participants, each attending a single workshop. Technology use was prevalent, with a preference indicated for smartphones and computers. Factors facilitating the adoption of HITs included personalization of content and functionality to meet and be responsive to a consumer’s needs, access to up-to-date information from reputable sources, and integration with standard care practices to support the relationship with health professionals. Concerns regarding data privacy and security were the primary barriers to the use of technology to support mental health and well-being. Conclusions Although HITs have the potential to improve access to cost-effective and low-intensity interventions at scale for improving and maintaining mental health and well-being, several strategies may improve the uptake and efficacy of technologies by the older adult community, including the use of co-design methodologies to ensure usability, acceptability, and appropriateness of the technology; support in using and understanding the clinical applications of the technology by a digital navigator; and ready availability of education and training materials.

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Understanding Technology Preferences and Requirements for Health Information Technologies Designed to Improve and Maintain the Mental Health and Well-Being of Older Adults: Participatory Design Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.21461 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Haley M LaMonica ◽

Tracey A Davenport ◽

Anna E Roberts ◽

Ian B Hickie

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Information ◽

Technology Use ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Information Technologies ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Information Technologies ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Health And Well Being

BACKGROUND Worldwide, the population is aging rapidly; therefore, there is a growing interest in strategies to support and maintain health and well-being in later life. Although familiarity with technology and digital literacy are increasing among this group, some older adults still lack confidence in their ability to use web-based technologies. In addition, age-related changes in cognition, vision, hearing, and perception may be barriers to adoption and highlight the need for digital tools developed specifically to meet the unique needs of older adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to understand the use of technology by older adults in general and identify the potential barriers to and facilitators of the adoption of health information technologies (HITs) to support the health and well-being of older adults to facilitate implementation and promote user uptake. In addition, this study aims to co-design and configure the InnoWell Platform, a digital tool designed to facilitate better outcomes for people seeking mental health services, to meet the needs of adults 50 years and older and their supportive others (eg, family members, caregivers) to ensure the accessibility, engagement, and appropriateness of the technology. METHODS Participants were adults 50 years and older and those who self-identified as a supportive other (eg, family member, caregiver). Participants were invited to participate in a 3-hour participatory design workshop using a variety of methods, including prompted discussion, creation of descriptive artifacts, and group-based development of user journeys. RESULTS Four participatory design workshops were conducted, including a total of 21 participants, each attending a single workshop. Technology use was prevalent, with a preference indicated for smartphones and computers. Factors facilitating the adoption of HITs included personalization of content and functionality to meet and be responsive to a consumer’s needs, access to up-to-date information from reputable sources, and integration with standard care practices to support the relationship with health professionals. Concerns regarding data privacy and security were the primary barriers to the use of technology to support mental health and well-being. CONCLUSIONS Although HITs have the potential to improve access to cost-effective and low-intensity interventions at scale for improving and maintaining mental health and well-being, several strategies may improve the uptake and efficacy of technologies by the older adult community, including the use of co-design methodologies to ensure usability, acceptability, and appropriateness of the technology; support in using and understanding the clinical applications of the technology by a digital navigator; and ready availability of education and training materials.

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Mobile Applications for Health Management of Older Adults: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.22823 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nurul Asilah Ahmad ◽

Shahrul Azman Mohd Noah ◽

Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin ◽

Suzana Shahar ◽

Noorlaili Mohd Tohit

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Goal Setting ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Health Management ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Personalized Feedback ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

App Store ◽

Evidenced Based ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND Currently, the use of smartphones to deliver health-related content has experienced a rapid growth, with more than 165,000 mobile health (mHealth) applications currently available in the digital marketplace such as iOS store and Google Play. Among these, there are several mobile applications (mobile apps) that offer tools for disease prevention and management among older generations. These mobile apps could potentially promote health behaviors which will reduce or delay the onset of disease. However, no review to date that has focused on the app marketplace specific for older adults and little is known regarding its evidence-based quality towards the health of older adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of mobile apps that focuses on health management and/or healthy lifestyle among older adults. METHODS An electronic search was conducted between May 2019 to December 2019 of the official app store for two major smartphone operating systems: iPhone operating system (iTunes App Store) and Android (Google Play Store). Stores were searched separately using predetermined search terms. Two authors screened apps based on information provided in the app description. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard assessment criteria form. Evidenced based strategies and health care expert involvement of included apps was assessed. Evidenced based strategies included: self-monitoring, goal setting, physical activity support, healthy eating support, weight and/or health assessment, personalized feedback, motivational strategies, cognitive training and social support. Two authors verified the data with reference to the apps and downloaded app themselves. RESULTS A total of 16 apps met the inclusion criteria. Six out of 16 (37.5%) apps were designed exclusively for the iOS platform while ten out of 16 (62.5%) were designed for Android platform exclusively. Physical activity component was the most common feature offered in all the apps (9/16, 56.3%) and followed by cognitive training (8/16, 50.0%). Diet/nutrition (0/16, 0%) feature, however, was not offered on all reviewed mobile apps. Of reviewed apps, 56.3% (9/16) provide education, 37.5% (6/16) provide self-monitoring features, 18.8% (3/16) provide goal setting features, 18.5% (3/16) provide personalized feedback, 6.3% (1/16) provide social support and none of the reviewed apps offers heart rate monitoring and reminder features to the users. CONCLUSIONS All reviewed mobile apps for older adults in managing health did not focused on diet/nutrition component, lack of functional components and lack of health care professional involvement in their development process. There is also a need to carry out scientific testing prior to the development of the app to ensure cost effective and its health benefits to older adults. Collaborative efforts between developers, researchers, health professionals and patients are needed in developing evidence-based, high quality mobile apps in managing health prior they are made available in the app store.

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Interventions for Mental Health Problems in Later Life

The Oxford Handbook of Clinical Psychology ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195366884.013.0036 ◽

2010 ◽

pp. 810-837

Author(s):

Jason M. Holland ◽

Dolores Gallagher-Thompson

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Later Life ◽

Clinical Psychologist ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Future Directions ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Worldwide Population ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Post Traumatic

Older adults are increasingly making up a larger segment of the worldwide population, which presents both challenges and opportunities for the clinical psychologist in the 21st century. In this chapter, we address some of the unique aspects of working with this population, focusing on general guidelines for tailoring interventions for older adults, specific treatments for particular problems commonly faced in later life, as well as issues of diversity and how they might impact psychotherapy with older clients. We also outline several areas in geropsychology that are in need of further investigation, namely the use of technology, post-traumatic stress, and family therapy, and offer some recommendations for future directions in this field of study.

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Brain Health: Attitudes towards Technology Adoption in Older Adults

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9010023 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 23

Author(s):

Nadir G. Abdelrahman ◽

Raza Haque ◽

Molly E. Polverento ◽

Andrea Wendling ◽

Courtney M. Goetz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Technology Adoption ◽

Physical Health ◽

Social Engagement ◽

Information Technologies ◽

New Technology ◽

Handheld Devices ◽

Brain Health ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Health Related

(1) Background: There is increasing scholarly support for the notion that properly implemented and used, technology can be of substantial benefit for older adults. Use of technology has been associated with improved self-rating of health and fewer chronic conditions. Use of technology such as handheld devices by older adults has the potential to improve engagement and promote cognitive and physical health. However, although, literature suggests some willingness by older adults to use technology, simultaneously there are reports of a more cautious attitude to its adoption. Our objective was to determine the opinions towards information technologies, with special reference to brain health, in healthy older adults either fully retired or still working in some capacity including older adult workers and retired adults living in an independent elderly living community. We were especially interested in further our understanding of factors that may play a role in technology adoption and its relevance to addressing health related issues in this population; (2) Methods: Two focus groups were conducted in an inner-city community. Participants were older adults with an interest in their general health and prevention of cognitive decline. They were asked to discuss their perceptions of and preferences for the use of technology. Transcripts were coded for thematic analysis; (3) Results: Seven common themes emerged from the focus group interviews: physical health, cognitive health, social engagement, organizing information, desire to learn new technology, advancing technology, and privacy/security; and (4) Conclusions: This study suggests that in order to promote the use of technology in older adults, one needs to consider wider contextual issues, not only device design per se, but the older adult’s rationale for using technology and their socio-ecological context.

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Technology Used to Recognize Activities of Daily Living in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18010163 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

pp. 163

Author(s):

Nicola Camp ◽

Martin Lewis ◽

Kirsty Hunter ◽

Julie Johnston ◽

Massimiliano Zecca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Activities Of Daily Living ◽

Daily Living ◽

Wearable Technology ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Key Stakeholders ◽

Environmental Technologies ◽

Current Monitoring ◽

Future Work

The use of technology has been suggested as a means of allowing continued autonomous living for older adults, while reducing the burden on caregivers and aiding decision-making relating to healthcare. However, more clarity is needed relating to the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) recognised, and the types of technology included within current monitoring approaches. This review aims to identify these differences and highlight the current gaps in these systems. A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR, drawing on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Articles and commercially available systems were selected if they focused on ADL recognition of older adults within their home environment. Thirty-nine ADL recognition systems were identified, nine of which were commercially available. One system incorporated environmental and wearable technology, two used only wearable technology, and 34 used only environmental technologies. Overall, 14 ADL were identified but there was variation in the specific ADL recognised by each system. Although the use of technology to monitor ADL of older adults is becoming more prevalent, there is a large variation in the ADL recognised, how ADL are defined, and the types of technology used within monitoring systems. Key stakeholders, such as older adults and healthcare workers, should be consulted in future work to ensure that future developments are functional and useable.

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Attitude toward Aging Mediates the Relationship between Personality and Mental Health in Older Adults

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9050594 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 594

Author(s):

Teshome Sirak Bedaso ◽

Buxin Han

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Life Satisfaction ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Personality Factors ◽

Health Issues ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Potential Mediator ◽

The Relationship

This study aimed to examine attitude toward aging as a potential mediator of the relationship between personality factors and mental health in terms of depression and life satisfaction among older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 438 Ethiopian elderly individuals aged 60 to 69. The results of the regression-based path analysis showed that after adjusting for demographic data, the relationship between agreeableness and depression in older adults was partially mediated by attitude toward aging. Likewise, attitude toward physical change due to aging and psychological growth subscales jointly mediated the correlation between neuroticism and depression. However, a significant direct path between neuroticism and depression persisted. On the contrary, openness had no significant direct association with depression apart from an indirect through psychosocial loss. The link between life satisfaction and agreeableness as well as openness to experience were partially mediated by psychosocial loss. Therefore, a person’s attitude toward aging and personality characteristics should be taken into consideration while designing interventions for managing mental health issues among older adults.

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What Do You Mean by Trust? Establishing Shared Meaning in Interdisciplinary Design for Assistive Technology

International Journal of Social Robotics ◽

10.1007/s12369-020-00742-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Isabel Schwaninger ◽

Florian Güldenpfennig ◽

Astrid Weiss ◽

Geraldine Fitzpatrick

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Participatory Design ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Active Role ◽

Light Weight ◽

Abstract Concept ◽

Shared Meaning ◽

Interdisciplinary Design ◽

Everyday Practices ◽

Weight Method

AbstractThe topic of trust has attracted increasing interest within HRI research, and is particularly relevant in the context of social robots and their assistance of older people at home. To make this abstract concept of trust more tangible for developers of robotic technologies and to connect it with older people’s living spaces and their daily practices, we propose a light-weight method drawing on elicitation cards to be used at early stages of participatory design. The cards were designed to serve as a guide for qualitative interviews at ideation phases. This was accomplished by using the cards connected to the living spaces of the participants, their daily practices, and ‘provocative’ questions to structure conversations. We developed the method with 10 inexperienced interviewers who conducted 10 qualitative interviews on the topic of trust without cards, and who tested the cards with 10 older adults. Our findings indicate that the method served as a powerful facilitator of conversations around the topic of trust and enabled interviewers to engage with everyday practices of older adults; it also facilitated a more active role for older adults during the conversations. As indicators of findings that can come from the cards, salient trust-related themes that emerged from the analysis of card usage were the desire for control, companionship, privacy, understandability, and location-specific requirements with regards to trust.

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