Background And Objectives: Information communication technologies (ICTs) can enhance older adults' health and well-being. Most research on the use of voice-activated ICTs by older adults has focused on the experiences of individuals living in the community, excluding those who live in long-term care homes. Given evidence of the potential benefits of such technologies to mitigate social isolation and loneliness, more research is needed about their impacts in long-term care home settings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile residential long-term care (LTC) settings can be the places to age well, they have received relatively little attention in research and policy conversations about technology. In this commentary, we discuss how technologies are currently being integrated into LTC, the ethical challenges and considerations this raises and the potential for improving how technologies are designed and implemented to empower and make the lives of older residents better. We advocate for innovative policy reforms and standards to ensure that technology design and development are equitable and inclusive and better aligned with the wishes and values of older adults and their families.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The integration of smart technologies, including wearables and voice-activated devices, is increasingly recognized for enhancing the independence and well-being of older adults. However, the long-term dynamics of their use and the coadaptation process with older adults remain poorly understood. This scoping review explores how interactions between older adults and smart technologies evolve over time to improve both user experience and technology utility.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: There is a digital divide in long-term care homes (LTCHs), with few residents having regular access to internet-connected devices. In this study, we provided long-term care residents with personalized and adapted tablets. We aimed to understand what factors influenced tablet use and the impact of tablet access on opportunities for social connection and recreation.
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