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Gerontechnology: Enhancement and satisfaction of life. Herman Bouma. Contents. Enhancement and Satisfaction: focus since 1991 Examples early and recent Interdisciplinary R&D Indispensable Methodology Four literature studies to be discussed.
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Gerontechnology: Enhancement and satisfaction of life Herman Bouma
Contents • Enhancement and Satisfaction: focus since 1991 • Examples early and recent • Interdisciplinary R&D • Indispensable Methodology • Four literature studies to be discussed
Early goals of technology and ageing (before 1990 and still relevant) Compensation and Assistance Care and Care support
Ageing is not equivalent with increasingly poor health and physical or psychological restrictionsThe majority of ageing people has no serious chronic restrictions or health problemsEven if they suffer from these, they may cherish ambitions and interests similar to their healthy peers
Enhancement and satisfaction • Aging is not synonymous with decline (“….for the aged and handicapped”) • Despite decline, aging can be made a very satisfying experience • Notion basic in GT from the beginning (1991), elaborated in 1996 (Helsinki)
The elderly citizens… are our fundamental concern… We have to learn more about… their objectives, tasks and preferences, what they want to do and wished to be helped with.(H. Bouma Gerontechnology: making technology relevant for the elderly. Proceedings 1st international GT congress ,Eindhoven 1991)
Four GT goals • Enhancement and satisfaction • Prevention and engagement • Compensation and Assistance • Care and Care support
Enhancement and SatisfactionIn GT,Enhancement is the added value to life experienced by ageing persons and mediated by technological products or servicesIn GT, Satisfaction is the positive feeling of ageing people as mediated by the presence or use of technological products and services Their opposites are irritation/frustration and dissatisfaction as mediated by technology
Technology for the ageing populationTechnical innovations (products & services) should be targeted at the ageing population just as well.Althoughthis may sound self-evident, in our real world this goal is still far from being reached
Methodology Enhancement and SatisfactionThe goals are in the realm of social psychology, so we have to look to that discipline for methodological issues. Most important: what precise problem is to be solvedIf your skill is in technology, find a colleague in social psychology (interdisciplinary collaboration)
Indispensable methodology (1): • Make operational definition of Enhancement and Satisfaction • Define relevant domain of daily life • Define technology- based intervention • Find representative subjects (education, men/women, family, life experiences, interests, activities, health,…..) • Define a proper control group
Indispensable Methodology (2) • Consider ethical issues (privacy, informed consent) • Consider statistical aspects before and after intervention • Prepare in-depth interviews, partly open • Carry out pilot experiment(s)
General requirements • Work with colleague in other discipline • Study the literature • Learn proper English (reading, speaking, listening, writing)
Selection of relevant literature to be studiedM. Docampo Rama et al. Technology generation and age in using layered user interfaces Gerontechnology 2001, 1(1) 25-40A.S. Melenhorst et al. When do older adults consider the Internet? An exploratory study of benefit perception. Gerontechnology 2004;3(2): 89-101Y.de Kort et al. Persuasive Technology. Gerontechnology 2005;4(3):123-127A.Newell. Older people as a focus for inclusive design Gerontechnology 2006;4(4):190-199