3 research outputs found
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Wearables, sensors and the future of technology to detect and infer loneliness in older adults
Loneliness is a growing concern affecting the health and quality of life of older adults living in the community. Addressing loneliness in ageing populations is an important policy priority. Central to this is the detection of type and severity of loneliness. Advancement in technology provides an opportunity for loneliness to be inferred through physiological and behavioural changes. In this article, we provide an overview of the current evidence on wearable and sensor technologies to detect loneliness in older adults including reviewing physiological measures of loneliness. Two recent reviews have highlighted how loneliness in older adults can be inferred using in-home sensors and smartphones. However, ethical and privacy issues remain an unaddressed issue in the development of technologies to measure loneliness in this population. Ongoing research is working to address this through the development a new multi-functional sensor which can be used in fabrics and textiles in the home to measure loneliness in people age 65 and over. We present an overview of the DEsign for healthy ageing: A smart system to decrease LONELINESS for older people (DELONELINESS) study.</p
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Understanding the psychological experiences of loneliness in later life: qualitative protocol to inform technology development
Objectives Loneliness is a public health issue impacting the health and well-being of older adults. This protocol focuses on understanding the psychological experiences of loneliness in later life to inform technology development as part of the 'Design for health ageing: a smart system to detect loneliness in older people' (DELONELINESS) study. Methods and analysis Data will be collected from semi-structured interviews with up to 60 people over the age of 65 on their experiences of loneliness and preferences for sensor-based technologies. The interviews will be audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic codebook approach on NVivo software. Ethics and dissemination This study has received ethical approval by Research Ethics Committee's at King's College London (reference number: LRS/DP-21/22-33376) and the University of Sussex (reference number: ER/JH878/1). All participants will be required to provide informed consent. Results will be used to inform technology development within the DELONELINESS study and will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and conferences
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A scoping review on human-centered design approaches and considerations in the design of technologies for loneliness and social isolation in older adults
Loneliness and social isolation are prevalent concerns among older adults and can lead to negative health consequences and a reduced lifespan. New technologies are increasingly being developed to help address loneliness and social isolation in older adults, including monitoring systems, social networks, robots, companions, smart televisions, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications. This systematic review maps human-centered design (HCD) and user-centered design (UCD) approaches, human needs, and contextual factors considered in current technological interventions designed to address the problems of loneliness and social isolation in older adults. We conducted a scoping review and in-depth examination of 98 papers through a qualitative content analysis. We found 12 studies applying either an HCD or UCD approach and observed strengths in continuous user involvement and implementation in field studies but limitations in participant inclusion criteria and methodological reporting. We also observed the consideration of important human needs and contextual factors. However, more research is needed on stakeholder perspectives, the functioning of applications in different housing environments, as well as studies that include diverse socio-economic groups.</p