ELDERLIES' EVERYDAY CHANGES WHEN ADOPTING ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY

Background: Studies show an increasing demand for health professionals to relate to the challenges that arise when technology is integrated in the daily lives of the older adults. The purpose of this poster is to provide an... [ view full abstract ]

Background:
Studies show an increasing demand for health professionals to relate to the challenges that arise when technology is integrated in the daily lives of the older adults. The purpose of this poster is to provide an overview of existing literature pertaining to older adults’ perspectives on processes of everyday change when adopting assistive technology.
Method:
Six major scientific databases were searched. Articles were selected using predefined selection criteria. The identified publications were evaluated using the CASP tools.
Results:
15 articles out of 4416 were included. The literature shows that older individuals’ experiences of the process of everyday change were multi-facetted. The pre-implementation stage was influenced by ambivalent expectations to the technology, the process and the health professionals, while support from social network and adjusting everyday routines was found to be essential later in the process.
Conclusion:
The existing literature shows that older adults’ experience the process of everyday change when adopting assistive technology as a complex and individualised process.
Application to Practice:
Individualised guidance is an important element in successful integration of technology in the daily lives of older adults.
References
Lindqvist, E., Nygard, L. & Borell, L. 2013, "Significant junctures on the way towards becoming a user of assistive technology in Alzheimer's disease", Scandinavian journal of occupational therapy, vol. 20, no. 5, pp. 386-396.
Rosenberg, L. & Nygård, L. 2012, "Persons with dementia become users of assistive technology: A study of the process", Dementia (14713012), vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 135-154.