IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i19p3718-d272950.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Inclusion of Older Adults in the Research and Design of Digital Technology

Author

Listed:
  • Ittay Mannheim

    (School of Allied Health Professions, Fontys University of Applied Science, Eindhoven 5631 BN, The Netherlands
    Tranzo, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg 5037 DB, The Netherlands)

  • Ella Schwartz

    (Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel
    Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Be’er Sheva 8410501, Israel)

  • Wanyu Xi

    (Louis and Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 5290002, Israel)

  • Sandra C. Buttigieg

    (Health Services Management, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2090, Malta
    Health Services Management Centre, School of Social Policy, College of Social Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK)

  • Mary McDonnell-Naughton

    (Department of Nursing and Health Care Athlone Institute of Technology, Athlone N37 HD68, Ireland)

  • Eveline J. M. Wouters

    (School of Allied Health Professions, Fontys University of Applied Science, Eindhoven 5631 BN, The Netherlands
    Tranzo, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University, Tilburg 5037 DB, The Netherlands)

  • Yvonne van Zaalen

    (School of Allied Health Professions, Fontys University of Applied Science, Eindhoven 5631 BN, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Digital technology holds a promise to improve older adults’ well-being and promote ageing in place. However, there seems to be a discrepancy between digital technologies that are developed and what older adults actually want and need. Ageing is stereotypically framed as a problem needed to be fixed, and older adults are considered to be frail and incompetent. Not surprisingly, many of the technologies developed for the use of older adults focus on care. The exclusion of older adults from the research and design of digital technology is often based on such negative stereotypes. In this opinion article, we argue that the inclusion rather than exclusion of older adults in the design process and research of digital technology is essential if technology is to fulfill the promise of improving well-being. We emphasize why this is important while also providing guidelines, evidence from the literature, and examples on how to do so. We unequivocally state that designers and researchers should make every effort to ensure the involvement of older adults in the design process and research of digital technology. Based on this paper, we suggest that ageism in the design process of digital technology might play a role as a possible barrier of adopting technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Ittay Mannheim & Ella Schwartz & Wanyu Xi & Sandra C. Buttigieg & Mary McDonnell-Naughton & Eveline J. M. Wouters & Yvonne van Zaalen, 2019. "Inclusion of Older Adults in the Research and Design of Digital Technology," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-17, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:19:p:3718-:d:272950
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/19/3718/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/19/3718/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fabienne Reiners & Janienke Sturm & Lisette J.W. Bouw & Eveline J.M. Wouters, 2019. "Sociodemographic Factors Influencing the Use of eHealth in People with Chronic Diseases," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-12, February.
    2. Kieran Walsh & Thomas Scharf & Norah Keating, 2017. "Social exclusion of older persons: a scoping review and conceptual framework," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 81-98, March.
    3. Greenhalgh, Trisha & Wherton, Joe & Sugarhood, Paul & Hinder, Sue & Procter, Rob & Stones, Rob, 2013. "What matters to older people with assisted living needs? A phenomenological analysis of the use and non-use of telehealth and telecare," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 86-94.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Margherita Rampioni & Adrian Alexandru Moșoi & Lorena Rossi & Sorin-Aurel Moraru & Dan Rosenberg & Vera Stara, 2021. "A Qualitative Study toward Technologies for Active and Healthy Aging: A Thematic Analysis of Perspectives among Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary End Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Magdalen Velciu & Luiza Spiru & Mircea Dan Marzan & Eva Reithner & Simona Geli & Barbara Borgogni & Oana Cramariuc & Irina G. Mocanu & Jerzy Kołakowski & Jaouhar Ayadi & Margherita Rampioni & Vera Sta, 2023. "How Technology-Based Interventions Can Sustain Ageing Well in the New Decade through the User-Driven Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Cristina Voinea & Tenzin Wangmo & Constantin Vică, 2024. "Paternalistic AI: the case of aged care," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Mirela Cristea & Gratiela Georgiana Noja & Petru Stefea & Adrian Lucian Sala, 2020. "The Impact of Population Aging and Public Health Support on EU Labor Markets," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-27, February.
    5. Jackie Street & Helen Barrie & Jaklin Eliott & Lucy Carolan & Fidelma McCorry & Andreas Cebulla & Lyn Phillipson & Kathleen Prokopovich & Scott Hanson-Easey & Teresa Burgess & on behalf of the Smart A, 2022. "Older Adults’ Perspectives of Smart Technologies to Support Aging at Home: Insights from Five World Café Forums," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-21, June.
    6. Joana Bernardo & João Apóstolo & Ricardo Loureiro & Elaine Santana & Nilufer Korkmaz Yaylagul & Carina Dantas & Filipa Ventura & Filipa Margarida Duque & Nina Jøranson & Minna Zechner & Willeke van St, 2022. "eHealth Platforms to Promote Autonomous Life and Active Aging: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-20, November.
    7. Jiacheng Luo & Ru Zhang & Junping Xu & Younghwan Pan, 2024. "Positive Strategies for Enhancing Elderly Interaction Experience in Smart Healthcare through Optimized Design Methods: An INPD-Based Research Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-31, October.
    8. Sophie N. Gaber & Louise Nygård & Anna Brorsson & Anders Kottorp & Georgina Charlesworth & Sarah Wallcook & Camilla Malinowsky, 2020. "Social Participation in Relation to Technology Use and Social Deprivation: A Mixed Methods Study Among Older People with and without Dementia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-19, June.
    9. Elena Comincioli & Eemeli Hakoköngäs & Masood Masoodian, 2022. "Identifying and Addressing Implicit Ageism in the Co-Design of Services for Aging People," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-25, June.
    10. Vera Stara & Margherita Rampioni & Adrian Alexandru Moșoi & Dominic M. Kristaly & Sorin-Aurel Moraru & Lucia Paciaroni & Susy Paolini & Alessandra Raccichini & Elisa Felici & Lorena Rossi & Cristian V, 2022. "A Technology-Based Intervention to Support Older Adults in Living Independently: Protocol for a Cross-National Feasibility Pilot," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-17, December.
    11. Nicola Döring & Melisa Conde & Karlheinz Brandenburg & Wolfgang Broll & Horst-Michael Gross & Stephan Werner & Alexander Raake, 2022. "Can Communication Technologies Reduce Loneliness and Social Isolation in Older People? A Scoping Review of Reviews," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-20, September.
    12. Carmen Llorente-Barroso & Olga Kolotouchkina & Luis Mañas-Viniegra, 2021. "The Enabling Role of ICT to Mitigate the Negative Effects of Emotional and Social Loneliness of the Elderly during COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-19, April.
    13. Richard Lombard-Vance & Evelyn Soye & Delia Ferri & Emma McEvoy & Malcolm MacLachlan & Sari Sarlio-Siintola, 2023. "Applying the ‘Human Rights Model of Disability’ to Informed Consent: Experiences and Reflections from the SHAPES Project," Disabilities, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-20, January.
    14. Sacramento Pinazo-Hernandis & Mauricio Blanco-Molina & Raúl Ortega-Moreno, 2022. "Aging in Place: Connections, Relationships, Social Participation and Social Support in the Face of Crisis Situations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Joost van Hoof & Deirdre M. Beneken genaamd Kolmer & Erwin de Vlugt & Sanne I. de Vries, 2019. "Quality of Life: The Interplay between Human Behaviour, Technology and the Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-7, December.
    16. Hannes Schlieter & Kai Gand & Thure Georg Weimann & Emanuel Sandner & Karl Kreiner & Steffen Thoma & Jin Liu & Massimo Caprino & Massimo Corbo & Agnese Seregni & Peppino Tropea & Rocio Pino & Juan Car, 2024. "Designing Virtual Coaching Solutions," Business & Information Systems Engineering: The International Journal of WIRTSCHAFTSINFORMATIK, Springer;Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (GI), vol. 66(3), pages 377-400, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Muhammad Ahmad Al-Rashid & Muhammad Nadeem & Tiziana Campisi & Iftikhar Ahmad, 2023. "Exploring the Role of Socio-Demographic Characteristics on Gendered Social Exclusion: Empirical Evidence from Older Adults in Pakistan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 169(3), pages 847-862, October.
    2. Tomasz Panek & Jan Zwierzchowski, 2022. "Examining the Degree of Social Exclusion Risk of the Population Aged 50 + in the EU Countries Under the Capability Approach," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(3), pages 973-1002, October.
    3. Tina Lien Barken & Elin Thygesen & Ulrika Söderhamn, 2018. "Unlocking the limitations: Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and receiving care through telemedicine—A phenomenological study," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(1-2), pages 132-142, January.
    4. Thomas Hansen & Marcela Petrová Kafková & Ruth Katz & Ariela Lowenstein & Sigal Naim & George Pavlidis & Feliciano Villar & Kieran Walsh & Marja Aartsen, 2021. "Exclusion from Social Relations in Later Life: Micro- and Macro-Level Patterns and Correlations in a European Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-16, November.
    5. Prattley, Jennifer & Buffel, Tine & Marshall, Alan & Nazroo, James, 2020. "Area effects on the level and development of social exclusion in later life," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    6. Ling Xu & Jia Li & Weiyu Mao & Iris Chi, 2023. "Exploration of Social Exclusion among Older Chinese Immigrants in the USA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Cecilie Karlsen & Carl Erik Moe & Kristin Haraldstad & Elin Thygesen, 2019. "Caring by telecare? A hermeneutic study of experiences among older adults and their family caregivers," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(7-8), pages 1300-1313, April.
    8. Lena Dahlberg & Kevin J. McKee & Carin Lennartsson & Johan Rehnberg, 2022. "A social exclusion perspective on loneliness in older adults in the Nordic countries," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 175-188, June.
    9. Aviad Tur-Sinai & Netta Bentur & Paolo Fabbietti & Giovanni Lamura, 2021. "Impact of the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Formal and Informal Care of Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Cross-National Clustering of Empirical Evidence from 23 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-13, June.
    10. Kozar Łukasz, 2021. "Non-Monetary Indicators of Social Exclusion – A Multidimensional Comparative Analysis of the Eu-10 Countries," Econometrics. Advances in Applied Data Analysis, Sciendo, vol. 25(4), pages 40-53, December.
    11. Charlene H. Chu & Simon Donato-Woodger & Shehroz S. Khan & Rune Nyrup & Kathleen Leslie & Alexandra Lyn & Tianyu Shi & Andria Bianchi & Samira Abbasgholizadeh Rahimi & Amanda Grenier, 2023. "Age-related bias and artificial intelligence: a scoping review," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Heidi Snoen Glomsås & Ingrid Ruud Knutsen & Mariann Fossum & Kristin Halvorsen, 2020. "User involvement in the implementation of welfare technology in home care services: The experience of health professionals—A qualitative study," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(21-22), pages 4007-4019, November.
    13. Barlow, J & Knapp, M & Comas-Herrera, A & Damant, J & Freddolino, P & Hamblin, K & Hu, B & Lorenz, K & Perkins, M & Rehill, A & Wittenberg, R & Woolham, J, 2015. "The case for investment in technology to manage the global costs of dementia," Working Papers 72399, Imperial College, London, Imperial College Business School.
    14. Mirian Fernández Salido & Carolina Moreno-Castro & Francesco Belletti & Stecy Yghemonos & Jorge Garcès Ferrer & Georgia Casanova, 2022. "Innovating European Long-Term Care Policies through the Socio-Economic Support of Families: A Lesson from Practices," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-12, March.
    15. Ferraro, Aniello & Cerciello, Massimiliano & Agovino, Massimiliano & Garofalo, Antonio, 2021. "Do public policies reduce social exclusion? The role of national and supranational economic tools," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 165-181.
    16. Fernanda Juma & Ana Fernández-Sainz, 2024. "Social Exclusion Among Older Adults: A Multilevel Analysis for 10 European Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 174(2), pages 525-551, September.
    17. Wenran Xia & Jeroen D. H. van Wijngaarden & Robbert Huijsman & Martina Buljac-Samardžić, 2022. "Effect of Receiving Financial Support from Adult Children on Depression among Older Persons and the Mediating Role of Social Participation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-16, October.
    18. Kafková Marcela Petrová & Vidovićová Lucie & Wija Petr, 2018. "Older Adults and Civic Engagement in Rural Areas of the Czech Republic," European Countryside, Sciendo, vol. 10(2), pages 247-262, June.
    19. Janice Du Mont & S Daisy Kosa & Hannah Kia & Charmaine Spencer & Mark Yaffe & Sheila Macdonald, 2020. "Development and evaluation of a social inclusion framework for a comprehensive hospital-based elder abuse intervention," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, June.
    20. María Sánchez-Román & Gadea Autric-Tamayo & Gloria Fernandez-Mayoralas & Fermina Rojo-Perez & María Silveria Agulló-Tomás & Diego Sánchez-González & Vicente Rodriguez-Rodriguez, 2022. "Social Image of Old Age, Gendered Ageism and Inclusive Places: Older People in the Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-26, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:19:p:3718-:d:272950. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.