Getting Older Ones’ Feet Wet: Older Adults’ Adoption Intention of Gerontechnology of Mobile Bathtubs

Global aging has led to increasing concern for the health and well-being of older adults. Family members generally care for older adults’ needs, yet current trends suggest more independent lifestyles for older adults. Therefore, a better understanding of older adults’ adoption intention of new gerontechnology is needed. This study adopts a two-stage approach (focus group discussions and survey research) to examine the factors of older adults’ adoption intention of gerontechnology namely, mobile bathtubs. The findings show that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, along with specific design features of mobile bathtub were determinants of adoption intention among older adults

Modelling gerontechnology adoption within the framework of society 5.0 in Malaysia

Gerontechnology is a new interdisciplinary academic and professional field combining gerontology and technology. Gerontology means the study of aging, and technology is the use of science to fulfil needs. Therefore, gerontechnology involves research and development techniques, technological products, services, and environments based on knowledge of aging processes. There are a lot of gerontechnology studies done, but the very little research focuses on exploring the influencing attributes that affect the users’ acceptance of gerontechnology. Thus, the objective of this conceptual paper is to propose a new model of the behavioural intention of gerontechnology adoption. This paper is then developed into research hypotheses for further studies. This research is expected to contribute significantly to the development of a new integrative adoption of the gerontechnology model in Malaysia en route to sustainable development. The significance of this research will also contribute to gerontechnology stakeholders, including the elderly, care professionals, managers within home care or social work organizations, technology designers and suppliers, and the government as the policymaker

Understanding the Interaction between Older Adults and Soft Service Robots: Insights from Robotics and the Technology Acceptance Model

As the world’s population increasingly ages, we need technological solutions such as robotics technology to assist older adults in their daily tasks. In this regard, we examine soft service robots’ potential to help care for the elderly. To do so, we developed and tested the degree to which they would accept a soft service robot that catered to their functional needs in the home environment. We used embodied artificial to develop an in-house teleoperated human-sized soft service robot that performed object-retrieval tasks with a soft gripper. Using an extended technology acceptance model as a theoretical lens, we conducted a study with 79 older adults to examine the degree to which they would accept a soft service robot in the home environment. We found perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and subjective norms as significant predictors that positively influenced older adults’ intention to adopt and use soft service robots. However, we also found that perceived anxiety and perceived likability did not significantly predict older adults’ intention to adopt and use soft service robots. We discuss the implications, limitations, and future research directions that arise from these findings

Does power posing affect gerontechnology adoption among older adults?

Recognising the rise of an aging population and independent living among older adults, many governments and organisations have developed and promoted new technologies in the form of gerontechnologies to support the needs and enhance the well-being of older adults. However, the adoption of products using such technology remains modest among the aging population. This study introduces the notion of power in the form of power posing and examines its impact on new technology adoption, particularly gerontechnology, among older adults. Using an experimental approach on a sample of older adults exposed to an in-house near-field communication-enabled light system, the study finds that high-power poses have a greater and more positive impact on older adults’ perceived ease of use of, perceived usefulness of, and intentions to use gerontechnology than low-power poses. Implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed

Proposing a Choose Your Own Adventure Mindfulness Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social and communication deficits, restricted interests (i.e., special interests), and repetitive behaviors. Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder tend to display difficulties with attention and emotion regulation. Mindfulness meditation has been proven to be an effective in ameliorating several symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. This project consists of a literature review on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mindfulness, followed by an original contribution to practice in the form of a “Choose Your Own Adventure” mindfulness intervention. This intervention is designed to incorporate special interests common in Autism Spectrum Disorder into mindfulness meditation as a unique attention and emotion regulation tool

The connected consumer‎: A theoretical framework of consumer adoption/consequences of the Internet of Things and smart connected objects

Over the last decade, technological and Internet innovations have increasingly invaded the consumer market (N’Goala, 2016). The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a common platform, and disrupts relationships between consumers and companies (Bohli et al., 2009); in essence, this is a timely research. The major goal of this thesis is to deepen the understanding of the acceptance and the adoption processes of the IoT and smart connected technologies, as well as the related consequences on perceived well-being. To do this, four contexts of study have been explored: smart connected objects, smart sleep applications, smart homes, and smart stores. First, we performed qualitative exploratory studies, and secondly we conducted quantitative studies to build conceptual models according to our qualitative findings and the literature. The results show that technology benefits are the first factors that enable technology acceptance through perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use; subsequently, self-improvement, through perceived social image and well-being benefits, are the main reasons to continue using the IoT and smart connected technologies. The acceptance and the adoption of these technologies also depend on users’ personality traits while perceived risks and fears on the use of the personal data are the main barriers. In turn, the IoT and smart connected technologies influence perceived well-being according to the experience of use, personality traits, and the technology.Le résumé en français n'a pas été communiqué par l'auteur

Papel de perfiles psicológicos, experiencias vitales, prácticas cotidianas y patrones de uso de internet sobre la calidad de vida de adultos y mayores = Role of psychological profiles, life experiences, daily practices and patterns of Internet use on the quality of life of adults and older adults

247 p.Intervenciones psicosociales y emocionales integrales en personas mayores a través de las herramientas de la web 2.0 = Within this framework, and from the psychological perspective, our goal was focused on the study of usage patterns in Web 2.0 tools by adults and seniors, including the accessibility and usage barriers and the perceived benefits. All of this was analyzed in relation to the quality of life construct, specially highlighting the psychosocial and emotional components (emotional intelligence, coping, self-efficacy, achievement motivation and social competence), life experiences and daily practices. In order to solve this issue, different reviews and descriptive/exploratory surveys were carried out, responding to the research questions that emerged as the survey progressed and to some specific targets. Based on the results achieved and as a future line of research, it would be interesting to proceed to the design of virtual participations by means of the different Web 2.0 tools that promote the quality of life and the well-being of adults and seniors, promoting an adequate adaptation to this vital stage and the current social circumstance