Post on 17-Jan-2016
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Building BridgesCreating Technology for Older Adults
Dr. Susan Squires
Senior Scientist
12 February 2009
Social Connection Strand
TRIL’s Social Connection Initiatives
Clinical and Social Assessment Goals
Collect quantitative data on over 600 older adults through the TRIL Clinic to understand the relationship between social engagement, loneliness, isolation and various indices of physical and mental health.
Understand potentially significant social, emotional and health markers for loneliness and isolation using quantitative and ethnographic approaches.
Older People who maintain social activity are better able to cope with the challenges of ageing. The Social Connections Strand is gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship between social engagement, and health, and finding effective technology interventions to lower the risks associated with loneliness and isolation.
Building Bridges Technology Development
Iteratively develop and evaluate technologies for older adults to improve social engagement and support healthy ageing.
Barriers to Technology Use
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Household Interviews
Literature and technical
Review
Technical Review
Service Provider
Interviews
TRIL CohortData
4 Household
Skype Study
Focus Groups
STAGE I:PRELIMINARY
RESEARCH
Block 1 Design
Contribution
Evaluation3 4 5
Stage1 Ethnodesign
1 2Download
Ideation Creation SpecificationDevelop
Workshops
The ‘field’ (real world)
STAGE 2: Design and Build
Building Bridges Home Deployments
Aim: Design, develop and evaluate a group communication technology for older adults to augment social connection and reduce the risk of social isolation
3 Dimensions of Material Culture
All artifacts have three components
1. Use 2. Usability 3. Meaning Model of an Artifact
Usa
bilit
y
Meaning
Use
artifact
Each need is a part of the whole
Use
What it does
Does it work?
“Connects
people”
Usability
How well it works
Can older adults navigate?
“Simple, easy”
Meaning & Metaphor
Who is it for?
Associated with values, beliefs, symbolism, stories.
Does it make sense to older adults?
Building Bridges
Prototype v.1
A technology to improve social engagement has been developed and tested in homes ofolder adults. It includes a 12” touch screen with speakers and phone handset. There arethree main features:
1) Group phone calls: Users can initiate conference calls with other users
2) Broadcasts: Users can listen to broadcasts and join a subsequent ‘group chat’
3) Postcards: Users can send messages using an onscreen keyboard