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Gerontechnology: Revealing Where Technology in a Digital Age Is Changing the Health and Well-Being of Older People

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences & Services".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 10913

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anthony G. Tuckett

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Guest Editor

Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, 6102 Perth, Australia
Interests: healthy ageing; nursing education; citizen science; older people
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shelley Gower

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Guest Editor

Curtin School of Nursing, Curtin University, 6102 Perth, Australia
Interests: cultural competence; migrant health; women’s health; nursing education

Dr. Michelle A. Kelly

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Guest Editor

Nursing and Midwifery Academic Unit, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
Interests: pedagogy; simulation; older persons care; pain assessment; influence of culture on learning and practice; patient discharge; mixed methods research

Dr. Susan Slatyer

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Guest Editor

College of Science Health Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Perth 6102, Australia
Interests: nursing; palliative care; gerontology; end of Life; clinical nursing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Population ageing is hugely topical and widespread. In fact, the increased proportion of older people in the population is probably one of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century, though it is not the only one. In addition to the demographic shifts being experienced worldwide, we also live in a time of extreme technological shifts, and this explosion of digital connectivity has a direct effect on the ageing population (Outthink Ageing, 2016). This Special Issue welcomes primary studies and reviews on the burgeoning field of gerontechnology, where the multidisciplinary fields of older people research and health technology research and practices meet. We are particularly interested in well-designed translational research demonstrating health outcomes related to well-being, mobility, and communication amongst older people. Studies and reviews should inform practitioners, administrators, and policy makers on evidence-based ways to optimize living environments for older people. Key areas of interest of the intersection between older people and health technology will include improving digital literacy and closing the digital divide, and digital exclusion; use of assistive technology (AT) for people who are hearing or visually impaired and where AT assists ageing-in-place; use of technology, especially social networking sites, to counter loneliness, isolation, and improve mental health, and for the delivery of telehealth and telemedicine; and studies or reviews that demonstrate an affirming relationship with health and well-being of the older person and the use of e-transport. Our Special Issue welcomes research that considers diverse voices that extend beyond the typical Western lens, to include cultural and linguistic diversity, along with older groups or populations who experience marginalization and/or social exclusion, those in rural and regional geographies, and where the carer of the older person is also included.

Dr. Anthony G. Tuckett
Dr. Shelley Gower
Dr. Michelle A. Kelly
Dr. Susan Slatyer
Guest Editors

Keywords

population ageing
older people
gerontechnology
health technology
digital literacy
self-management
assistive technology
telehealth
e-transport
marginalization

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 621 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Smartphone Use Make Older Adults Feel Younger? A Cross-Sectional Online Survey during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Tomoko Ikeuchi, Sakiko Itoh, Hiroyasu Miwa, Kentaro Watanabe and Tomoko Wakui

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1710; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20031710 - 17 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1518

Abstract

Subjective age (i.e., how old one feels) has been found to be a biopsychosocial marker of aging. This study examined the associations between subjective age and the frequency of information and communication technology (ICT) usage by older adults. Data were collected via an online survey conducted in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzed responses from participants aged 65 to 89 (M = 71.9, SD = 3.9) who resided in Japan (N = 1631, 52.8% female). Subjective age was indexed by asking participants to specify in years how old they felt. Proportional discrepancy scores (PDS) were calculated to indicate younger or older subjective age and were used as an independent variable. Participants were asked about the frequency of computer, smartphone, flip phone, tablet, and social networking service (SNS) use. Two-thirds of the participants (63.6%) reported feeling younger than their actual age. Nearly 90% reported using computers for more than 2–3 days a week, while 64.3% reported smartphone use, 22.9% reported flip phone use, and 36.6% reported SNS use. Logistic regression analyses revealed that a lower PDS (i.e., feeling younger) was associated with a significantly higher frequency of smartphone use (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.98) after adjusting for potential confounders. No such association was found for computer, flip phone, tablet, or SNS use. Our study found that feeling younger was associated with a higher frequency of smartphone use. The daily use of smartphones may have helped older adults stay in touch with family and friends and obtain the information that they needed, which may have contributed to better psychological well-being outcomes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gerontechnology: Revealing Where Technology in a Digital Age Is Changing the Health and Well-Being of Older People)

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14 pages, 518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Older Adults’ Intentions to Use a Smartphone: Using the Meta–Unified Theory of the Acceptance and Use of Technology

by Cheng-Chia Yang, Cheng-Lun Li, Te-Feng Yeh and Yu-Chia Chang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5403; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095403 - 28 Apr 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2732

Abstract

Barriers to smartphone use often exist among older adults, and increasing smartphone use is beneficial to increasing older adults’ quality of life. Studies of older adults’ smartphone use intentions have mostly adopted the technology acceptance model or unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). However, these models have their limitations. A meta-UTAUT has been developed, but it has not been extensively verified with older adults. This study used the meta-UTAUT model to explore the influences on older adults’ smartphone use intentions and behaviors. A total of 311 adults aged 60 to 75 years who had minimal experience with smartphones were recruited. They participated in a 16 h smartphone training and then completed a questionnaire. The results demonstrated that the meta-UTAUT model can predict older adults’ smartphone use intentions and behaviors. Performance expectancy (PE) and social influence significantly influenced behavioral intention (BI) and attitude toward using smartphones (AT). PE was the strongest factor influencing BI. AT also affected BI. Although facilitating conditions did not significantly affect BI, they had a high influence on AT. To increase smartphone use among older adults, training can be implemented to teach smartphone skills and emphasize the benefits of using smartphones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gerontechnology: Revealing Where Technology in a Digital Age Is Changing the Health and Well-Being of Older People)

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Review

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15 pages, 810 KiB

Open AccessReview

Can Smart Home Technologies Help Older Adults Manage Their Chronic Condition? A Systematic Literature Review

by Gabriella Facchinetti, Giorgia Petrucci, Beatrice Albanesi, Maria Grazia De Marinis and Michela Piredda

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1205; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph20021205 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5513

Abstract

The management of chronic diseases requires personalized healthcare that allows older adults to manage their diseases at home. This systematic review aimed to describe the smart home technologies used in the management of chronic diseases in older people. A systematic literature review was conducted on four databases and was reported following the PRISMA statement. Nineteen articles were included. The intervention technologies were classified into three groups: smart home, characterized by environmental sensors detecting motion, contact, light, temperature, and humidity; external memory aids, characterized by a partnership between mobile apps and smart home-based activity learning; and hybrid technology, with the integration of multiple technologies, such as devices installed at patients’ homes and telemedicine. The health outcomes evaluated are vital signs, medication management, ADL-IADL, mobility, falls, and quality of life. Smart homes show great potential in the management of chronic diseases by favouring the control of exacerbations and increasing patients’ safety by providing support in disease management, including support for cognitively impaired older people. The use of smart homes in the community could bring numerous benefits in terms of continuity of care, allowing the constant monitoring of older people by local and hospital health services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gerontechnology: Revealing Where Technology in a Digital Age Is Changing the Health and Well-Being of Older People)

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