Key Considerations for The Design of Technology for Enrichment in Residential Aged Care: An Ethnographic Study

Title of the Paper

Key Factors: Research on Designing Technology for Aged Care Facilities to Promote Residents' Sense of Fulfillment

Bibliographic Information

• Subject Areas: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Elderly Social and Psychological Support, Technology Adaptation Design
• Keywords: Elderly, Aged Care Facilities, Ethnographic Research, Fulfillment Technology, Cultural Adaptation, Video Calls, Virtual Reality (VR), Human-Technology Interaction

Research Background and Issues

• Problems and Challenges:

  • Digital technologies (e.g., video calls, virtual reality) in aged care facilities can enhance social and psychological fulfillment, but their long-term use in these complex environments is often unsustainable.
  • Barriers exist between residents' psychological, physical, and cultural needs and the adaptation of technology, leading to limited or unsustained application of many technologies.
  • Staff attitudes toward technology and their proficiency in using it are also significant limiting factors.

• Significance:

  • With the growing aging population and clinical data showing that aged care facility residents often face loneliness, depression, and a lack of effective social activities, well-designed technologies can alleviate these issues and improve the quality of life for the elderly.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these isolation phenomena, highlighting the urgency of enhancing social connection technologies.

• Research Motivation and Related Work:

  • Previous studies have shown that video calls and virtual reality technologies can improve residents' social connections and psychological well-being. However, the application of these technologies in aged care environments faces numerous challenges, and few studies have explored the interaction between cultural factors and technology design.

Solutions

• Research Methods:

  • Ethnographic research methods were employed. Researchers participated as volunteers in the daily activities and technology use of residents at an aged care facility in Australia, primarily serving the Vietnamese immigrant community, for four weeks, recording observations and interviews.
  • Data included participant observation, informal interviews, contextual inquiries, and field notes, totaling 61 hours of data collection.

• Innovations:

  • The study comprehensively analyzed technology adaptation issues from cultural, psychological, social, and technological sustainability perspectives, proposing key design considerations.
  • It emphasized a design approach that integrates residents' cultural histories, psychological states, and the practical environment of aged care facilities.

• Implementation Steps and Technologies:

  • Data categorization and thematic analysis: Inductive thematic analysis was conducted on observation notes and interview content.
  • Testing technology responses: Researchers brought devices (e.g., VR headsets, iPads) for on-site trials to trigger natural conversations and feedback.

Research Findings

• Specific Findings:

  • The study found that the use of video call technology significantly decreased after the end of COVID-19 restrictions, while other technologies (e.g., gaming consoles, virtual reality) remained unused due to residents' discomfort or lack of interest.
  • Culturally oriented activities (e.g., Vietnamese dice games, music appreciation) played a key role in enhancing resident engagement and well-being.
  • Proposed considerations for technology design include cultural adaptability, psychological comfort, physical support, and ways to best assist aged care facility staff.

• Experimental/Evaluation Results:

  • Key findings include: residents exhibited varying levels of interest and ability in using technology; medical conditions or personal preferences could limit technology use; simple triggers could evoke traumatic experiences in residents.
  • Virtual reality was considered to have potential for providing positive experiences, but its usage duration needed careful control to avoid potential psychological harm.

• Comparison with Existing Solutions:

  • The study proposed that cultural, psychological, and physical factors should be comprehensively considered in technology design, moving beyond prior research that focused solely on technological performance or user experience.
  • It emphasized the importance of incorporating the needs of aged care facility staff, which supports the broader application of technology within institutions.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations: The study focused only on a single aged care facility with a unique cultural background, and the sample of technology use was limited.
  • Suggestions for future research include expanding to different types and scales of facilities, as well as environments where technology is already widely used for activities.

Design Recommendations

1. Cultural Support:

   • Technology design should incorporate residents' cultural backgrounds. For example, provide culturally relevant content and avoid triggering potential negative associations (e.g., language or visual stimuli).

2. Psychological Support:

   • Provide residents with moderate exposure time to avoid discomfort from prolonged use for sensitive individuals.
   • Combine family and historical backgrounds to preemptively identify potential trauma triggers from technology.

3. Physical Support:

   • Enhance the interactive convenience of devices (e.g., adjust screen content, device weight) to accommodate physical limitations of the elderly.

4. Staff Support:

   • Offer simple, easy-to-learn, and streamlined technologies to reduce the operational burden on staff.
   • Collaborate with staff to evaluate the potential impacts and risks of technology, optimizing designs together.

5. Support for Long-Term Use and Adoption:

   • Clearly define the innovations of new technologies and improvements over past failures in their design and promotion.
   • Repeatedly test the compatibility and practical utility of technologies to increase acceptance among staff and residents.