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Technologies for aging gracefully: Keeping socially isolated and lonely seniors connected to family and friends

Prof. Ron BaeckerThe Technologies for Aging Gracefully lab (TAGlab)Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto

Thanks to many present and past members of the lab and to our collaborators from across Canada and the U.S.

SEE, Toronto, 23 Sept. 2015

The Problem A personal story

Many individuals … Live alone, with little family and small social networks May have sensory and motor impairments May have little control over how they feel at a particular time

and when they are available for social contact

Examples … Seniors living alone, in retirement homes, in long-term care People in long-term hospitalization, rehab, quarantine Individuals with chronic pain, MS, TBI, ALS People in hospice care 7/24 home-bound caregivers

Social Isolation and Loneliness 10 to 43% of community dwelling older adults

are socially isolated (Nicholson, 2012)

A cohort study of 1,604 older adults in the U.S. shows that 43% feel lonely (Perissinotto, Cenzer, & Covinsky, 2012).

Consequences Health effects

Depression, morbidity, stress, functional decline, death (Edelbrock et al., 2001; Perissinotto et al., 2012; Steptoe et al., 2013)

Health risks comparable to the dangers of smoking cigarettes and obesity (Cornwell & Waite, 2009)

Loneliness kills !! A recent 2010 meta-analysis of 148 studies reported

“50% increased likelihood of survival for participants with stronger social relationships” (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010)

Burden for older adults, families, social institutions,

government, taxpayers

Connecting Seniors … Bringing, Keeping Families Together Synchronous video chat

Skype, Google Hangouts, … Asynchronous messaging

Conventional email software Modern messaging apps, e.g., WeChat, WhatsApp

But we (TAGlab) knew we could do better … the result we call “InTouch”

Research for the Journey through Life TAGlab designs and develops technology to

make seniors and their families “smarter”, i.e., more capable, resourceful, and independent Instead of … making machines “smarter” to “watch

over” and help seniors

Design solutions in response to needs Identify where technology could serve human needs

and enable greater inclusion in life and in society Envision, design, build, test, improve, & commercialize

solutions for conditions such as AD, MCI, stroke, MS, vision loss … and for normally aging senior citizens

Maslow Hierarchy of Human Needs Self-actualization

Need for a cause, calling, vocation, fulfillment

Esteem Need to feel satisfied, self confident, valuable; to have

meaningful work and activities; to develop personally Love

Love, affection, sense of belonging, family, friends Safety

Feeling of safety, freedom from danger or perceived danger Physiological needs

Oxygen, food, water, warmth, health, fitness, seeing, hearing, mobility

Field Studies, Prototype Technology Interview and diary studies with seniors

Home dwellers in chronic pain Patients in complex continuing care hospitals People in retirement residences People in long-term care facilities Home health care patients

Deployments in field trials

Design Implications for InTouch Design appliances, not software or interfaces Leverage pictures of family Focus on asynchronous messaging Support multimedia messaging, no need to type Use iconic communication, not verbal …

Currently, 4th version of the technology

InTouch

I don’t want it … but it’s SO simple!

InTouch: Wave, audio, photo, video

InTouch: The impact

First Mixed Methods Pilot Study 1 older adult living in a retirement community

(65+, F) 5 frail oldest old living in a long-term care

facility (average age = 87, 3 F and 2 M)

Two month intervention with 3 interviews

Results High perceived usefulness of InTouch for

interaction with relatives

Reduced feelings of being ‘left out”

Increased perceived interaction with relatives (e.g., children)

Second Mixed Methods Pilot Study 13 older adults living in a more upscale

retirement community (average age = 82, 9 F and 4 M)

1 withdrew — already had high digital literacy and adequate communication solutions, but her husband continued in the study

3 month intervention with 3 interviews

Preliminary Results Positive impact on communication with family

10 out of 12 wanted to continue use after study

Eight of 12 reported higher social connectedness Those who did not, wanted the ability to type

messages (being implemented now), and synchronous chat (to be available next year)

Positive impacts on well-being, self-efficacy, comfort with technology

Opportunities and Challenges Ergonomic and digital literacy challenges Need for social support and family buy-in Different kinds of adoption and use, varying social

and cultural expectations Next studies

Circle of Care Sunnybrook Veterans’ Hospital

Supporting not just social goals, but also health goals and practical goals, i.e., enabling seniors to stay at home longer (famli.net Communications Inc.)

Thanks for your attention!!!! Email: ron@taglab.ca

URL: http://taglab.utoronto.ca/

Thanks to past students & collaborators and to financial supporters Alzheimer’s Association (+ Intel Corp.) Connaught Innovation Fund, University of Toronto GRAND, AGE-WELL Networks of Centres of Excellence Google Research Microsoft Research MyVoice Inc. NSERC, SSHRC (NICE), OCE, CC Revera Inc., Christie Gardens, Extendicare, Circle of Care,

Sunnybrook Veterans Hospital