TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding the needs of older adults learning to use digital home assistants
T2 - A demonstration study
AU - Blocker, Kenneth A.
AU - Kadylak, Travis
AU - Rogers, Wendy A.
N1 - This project was developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90REGE0006-01-00) under the auspices of the Rehabilitation and Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities (TechSAge; www.rerctechsage. org). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this paper do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. This project was also supported by Reducing Social Isolation Demonstration Project from the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging awarded to Amy Brown (CRIS Healthy Aging Center) & Wendy Rogers (Illinois) Co-Investigators. We appreciate all the support of Amy and the staff at CRIS for their facilitation of our recruitment efforts, as well as their provision of the digital assistants to the participants. We also appreciate the engagement of Leo Galoso, Husna Hussaini, Emma Lachs, and Ki Lim, as well as Maya Malecki who was supported through the Community-Academic Scholar Program within the Interdisciplinary Health Science Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
This project was developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90REGE0006-01-00) under the auspices of the Rehabilitation and Engineering Research Center on Technologies to Support Aging-in-Place for People with Long-Term Disabilities (TechSAge; www.rerctech-sage.org). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this paper do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. This project was also supported by Reducing Social Isolation Demonstration Project from the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging awarded to Amy Brown (CRIS Healthy Aging Center) & Wendy Rogers (Illinois) Co-Investigators. We appreciate all the support of Amy and the staff at CRIS for their facilitation of our recruitment efforts, as well as their provision of the digital assistants to the participants. We also appreciate the engagement of Leo Galoso, Husna Hussaini, Emma Lachs, and Ki Lim, as well as Maya Malecki who was supported through the Community-Academic Scholar Program within the Interdisciplinary Health Science Institute at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: Voice-activated digital home assistants (e.g., Amazon Echo) have potential to support older adults, especially those aging with disabilities who may require unique in-home assistance. However, our understanding of the learning and continued use needs for this population, as well as the impact of these devices on feelings of companionship, is still developing with more research needed to inform this space. Objective: The objective was to improve our understanding of the training needs for older adults with limited or no experience using voice-activated digital home assistants. Moreover, we sought to learn how digital home assistants could support older adults with disabilities in their home environment by exploring facilitators and barriers to their adoption. Methodology: We performed remote, longitudinal interviews with seven older adults with and without disabilities who had little to no experience using digital home assistants and were provided devices from a local community organization. In addition, we focused on three individual case studies to provide additional context for their specific uses and needs. Results: Participants expressed mostly positive opinions toward the devices with nearly all participants finding the device useful and easy to use. Many viewed the device as a companion, highlighting the potential for reducing loneliness. Entertainment and time management features were most utilized. Although participants faced challenges in using the device (e.g., phrasing commands), they still expressed interest in future uses and features. Participants generally found the instructional materials (i.e., printed instructional manual and analogous support videos) both useful and easy to use. Conclusions: These findings not only demonstrated the utility, instructional needs, facilitators and barriers, and the potential for social companionship of these devices among older adults, but also informed recommendations on how to better design these devices to support the diverse older adult population in accepting and integrating them into their lives.
AB - Background: Voice-activated digital home assistants (e.g., Amazon Echo) have potential to support older adults, especially those aging with disabilities who may require unique in-home assistance. However, our understanding of the learning and continued use needs for this population, as well as the impact of these devices on feelings of companionship, is still developing with more research needed to inform this space. Objective: The objective was to improve our understanding of the training needs for older adults with limited or no experience using voice-activated digital home assistants. Moreover, we sought to learn how digital home assistants could support older adults with disabilities in their home environment by exploring facilitators and barriers to their adoption. Methodology: We performed remote, longitudinal interviews with seven older adults with and without disabilities who had little to no experience using digital home assistants and were provided devices from a local community organization. In addition, we focused on three individual case studies to provide additional context for their specific uses and needs. Results: Participants expressed mostly positive opinions toward the devices with nearly all participants finding the device useful and easy to use. Many viewed the device as a companion, highlighting the potential for reducing loneliness. Entertainment and time management features were most utilized. Although participants faced challenges in using the device (e.g., phrasing commands), they still expressed interest in future uses and features. Participants generally found the instructional materials (i.e., printed instructional manual and analogous support videos) both useful and easy to use. Conclusions: These findings not only demonstrated the utility, instructional needs, facilitators and barriers, and the potential for social companionship of these devices among older adults, but also informed recommendations on how to better design these devices to support the diverse older adult population in accepting and integrating them into their lives.
KW - aging
KW - instructional support
KW - technology acceptance
KW - technology learning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85172331877&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85172331877&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4017/gt.2023.22.2.blo.08
DO - 10.4017/gt.2023.22.2.blo.08
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85172331877
SN - 1569-1101
VL - 22
JO - Gerontechnology
JF - Gerontechnology
IS - 2
ER -