JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Many older adults prefer to remain in their own home for as long as possible, however there are still questions surrounding how best to ensure that an individual can cope with autonomous living. Technological monitoring systems are an attractive solution, but there is disagreement relating to Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and the optimal technologies which should be used to monitor them.

Objective:

To understand older adults’ perceptions of important ADLs and the types of technologies they would be willing to use within their own home.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews were conducted online with 32 UK adults, divided equally into a ‘younger’ group (55-69years) and an ‘older’ group (70+years).

Results:

Both groups agreed that ADLs related to personal hygiene and feeding were the most important and highlighted the value of socialising. The ‘older’ group considered several activities to be more important than their younger counterparts, including stair use and foot care. The older group had less existing knowledge of monitoring technology but were more willing to accept wearable sensors than the younger group. The younger group preferred sensors placed within the home but highlighted that they would not have them until they felt that daily life was becoming a struggle.

Conclusions:

Overall, technological monitoring systems are perceived to be an acceptable method of monitoring ADLs. However, developers and carers need to be aware that individuals may express differences in willingness to engage with certain types of technology depending on their age and circumstances.