InTouch: connectivity for seniors and their community
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Transcript of InTouch: connectivity for seniors and their community
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Technologies for aging gracefully: Keeping socially isolated and lonely seniors connected to family and friends
Prof. Ron BaeckerThe Technologies for Aging Gracefully lab (TAGlab)Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto
Thanks to many present and past members of the lab and to our collaborators from across Canada and the U.S.
SEE, Toronto, 23 Sept. 2015
The Problem A personal story
Many individuals … Live alone, with little family and small social networks May have sensory and motor impairments May have little control over how they feel at a particular time
and when they are available for social contact
Examples … Seniors living alone, in retirement homes, in long-term care People in long-term hospitalization, rehab, quarantine Individuals with chronic pain, MS, TBI, ALS People in hospice care 7/24 home-bound caregivers
Social Isolation and Loneliness 10 to 43% of community dwelling older adults
are socially isolated (Nicholson, 2012)
A cohort study of 1,604 older adults in the U.S. shows that 43% feel lonely (Perissinotto, Cenzer, & Covinsky, 2012).
Consequences Health effects
Depression, morbidity, stress, functional decline, death (Edelbrock et al., 2001; Perissinotto et al., 2012; Steptoe et al., 2013)
Health risks comparable to the dangers of smoking cigarettes and obesity (Cornwell & Waite, 2009)
Loneliness kills !! A recent 2010 meta-analysis of 148 studies reported
“50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships” (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010)
Burden for older adults, families, social institutions,
government, taxpayers
Connecting Seniors … Bringing, Keeping Families Together Synchronous video chat
Skype, Google Hangouts, … Asynchronous messaging
Conventional email software Modern messaging apps, e.g., WeChat, WhatsApp
But we (TAGlab) knew we could do better … the result we call “InTouch”
Research for the Journey through Life TAGlab designs and develops technology to
make seniors and their families “smarter”, i.e., more capable, resourceful, and independent Instead of … making machines “smarter” to “watch
over” and help seniors
Design solutions in response to needs Identify where technology could serve human needs
and enable greater inclusion in life and in society Envision, design, build, test, improve, & commercialize
solutions for conditions such as AD, MCI, stroke, MS, vision loss … and for normally aging senior citizens
Maslow Hierarchy of Human Needs Self-actualization
Need for a cause, calling, vocation, fulfillment
Esteem Need to feel satisfied, self confident, valuable; to have
meaningful work and activities; to develop personally Love
Love, affection, sense of belonging, family, friends Safety
Feeling of safety, freedom from danger or perceived danger Physiological needs
Oxygen, food, water, warmth, health, fitness, seeing, hearing, mobility
Field Studies, Prototype Technology Interview and diary studies with seniors
Home dwellers in chronic pain Patients in complex continuing care hospitals People in retirement residences People in long-term care facilities Home health care patients
Deployments in field trials
Design Implications for InTouch Design appliances, not software or interfaces Leverage pictures of family Focus on asynchronous messaging Support multimedia messaging, no need to type Use iconic communication, not verbal …
Currently, 4th version of the technology
First Mixed Methods Pilot Study 1 older adult living in a retirement community
(65+, F) 5 frail oldest old living in a long-term care
facility (average age = 87, 3 F and 2 M)
Two month intervention with 3 interviews
Results High perceived usefulness of InTouch for
interaction with relatives
Reduced feelings of being ‘left out”
Increased perceived interaction with relatives (e.g., children)
Second Mixed Methods Pilot Study 13 older adults living in a more upscale
retirement community (average age = 82, 9 F and 4 M)
1 withdrew — already had high digital literacy and adequate communication solutions, but her husband continued in the study
3 month intervention with 3 interviews
Preliminary Results Positive impact on communication with family
10 out of 12 wanted to continue use after study
Eight of 12 reported higher social connectedness Those who did not, wanted the ability to type
messages (being implemented now), and synchronous chat (to be available next year)
Positive impacts on well-being, self-efficacy, comfort with technology
Opportunities and Challenges Ergonomic and digital literacy challenges Need for social support and family buy-in Different kinds of adoption and use, varying social
and cultural expectations Next studies
Circle of Care Sunnybrook Veterans’ Hospital
Supporting not just social goals, but also health goals and practical goals, i.e., enabling seniors to stay at home longer (famli.net Communications Inc.)
Thanks for your attention!!!! Email: [email protected]
URL: http://taglab.utoronto.ca/
Thanks to past students & collaborators and to financial supporters Alzheimer’s Association (+ Intel Corp.) Connaught Innovation Fund, University of Toronto GRAND, AGE-WELL Networks of Centres of Excellence Google Research Microsoft Research MyVoice Inc. NSERC, SSHRC (NICE), OCE, CC Revera Inc., Christie Gardens, Extendicare, Circle of Care,
Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital