Technology-Enabled Senior Living: A Preliminary Report on Stakeholder Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: The integration of stakeholders is crucial in developing smart living technologies to support the autonomy of elderly populations. Despite the clear benefits of these technologies, there remains a significant gap in comprehensive research. METHODS: This study presents the viewpoints of 19 stakeholders from Europe and Japan, focusing on the sustainability of smart living solutions for Active and Healthy Ageing (AHA). Data were gathered through qualitative semi-structured interviews and analysed using a Framework Analysis approach. RESULTS: Analysis of the interviews revealed six key sustainability categories: addressing the unmet needs of older adults, functionalities of the smart living coach, integration within organizations, identified barriers, financial considerations, and the social role of the smart living coach. CONCLUSIONS: This research underscores the importance of evaluating user needs through the involvement of various stakeholders, including the elderly, their caregivers, professionals, technicians, service providers, and government bodies. Collaborative efforts are essential to generate new evidence demonstrating the value of smart living solutions in facilitating Active and Healthy Ageing.

Toward Innovation in Healthcare: An Analysis of the Digital Behavior of Older People in Europe and Japan for the Introduction of a Technological Coaching System.

(1) Background: The increasing older population and demographic shifts highlight the need to understand the digital profiles of older adults, a pivotal factor in developing innovative technologies like the e-VITA virtual coach. This personalized coach provides recommendations for sustainable well-being in a smart home environment. (2) Methods: This study focuses on analyzing the characteristics of older individuals categorized as Internet users (onliners) and non-users (offliners). European Social Survey data from 2021 were utilized for European analysis, determining Internet usage based on frequency. Offliners are defined as users who never use the Internet, and onliners as those who use it, albeit with different frequencies. In Japan, data from the 9th International Comparative Survey on the Lives and Attitudes of the Elderly were employed, based on the responses of 1367 subjects, which defined onliners as individuals using communication devices and offliners as those not utilizing fax machines, cell phones, or the Internet. (3) Results: This paper presents a primary analysis of older end-user context and perspectives, outlining effective strategies for the diffusion of an active and healthy aging coaching system in the market and society. (4) Conclusions: the study emphasizes the importance of analyzing digital behavior in any user-centered design approach to ensure the system's acceptance after deployment.