technology to support aging in place improving technologies on multiple platforms (i.e. web-based,...
TRANSCRIPT
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Technology to
Support Aging in
Place
Pat Spadafora, M.S.W.
Director, Centre for Elder Research
Sheridan College
Centre for Studies in Aging & Health
2016 Conference
March 4th, 2016
Kingston, Ontario
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• The Centre for Elder Research – who are we?
• Technology to support older adults and their families – an overview of past and current research conducted by the Centre
• A sample of tech trends
• Balancing high tech and high touch – keeping the human connection
• What are your experiences supporting older adults through technology?
TECHNOLOGY
Agenda
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The Centre for Elder Research conducts innovative
Lab to Life® research that enhances the quality of
life of older adults while serving as an education
and resource hub for Sheridan and
the broader community.
OUR CENTRE
Who we are, what we do
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OUR CENTRE
Tech funding
Five-year grant (2010-2015,
extended to the end of 2016)
from the Natural Science and
Engineering Research
Council’s Innovation
Enhancement funding
program:
“Aging in Place: Optimizing
Health Outcomes through
Technology, Design and Social
Innovation”
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• Using web-based technology to create opportunities for education and instruction, especially as it relates to health, fitness and post-op rehabilitation
• Exploring how to improve home monitoring systems (i.e. for persons with an impairment), and how this might integrate with a web-based support tool for caregivers
• Designing and evaluating the effects of purposeful gaming, particularly as it might maintain independence and promotes social interaction and inclusion
• Improving technologies on multiple platforms (i.e. web-based, mobile devices, touch-screen kiosks in public spaces, etc.) to ensure accessibility for individuals of all ages and abilities
NSERC GRANT
Approaches
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NSERC GRANT
Partner relationships
pigeon* branding + design
Attune
Vintage Fitness
Recreational Respite
PointerWare
Tertec Enterprises
Jibestream
LifeTimes - The Game of
Reminiscence
Dynamic Brain
Posit Science
Acclaim Health
Schlegel Villages
iCare Home Health
Sienna Senior Living
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NSERC PARTNERS
Benefits in action! Research partnerships in action
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TECH OPPORTUNITY
PointerWare
As seen on Dragon’s Den!
Simplifying the computing
experience and making it
suitable for older adults of
multiple ethnicities.
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A 12-week trial
evaluated the impact of
access to the software
on a socially isolated
older gentleman
living in long-term care
The participant went
from spending his days
in bed ‘daydreaming’, to
rating his mood a 10.5
out of 10 and wanting to
start up a men’s club.
TECH OPPORTUNITY
Pointerware Trial
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• Interviewed over 200 residents across
all the Schlegel Village homes to
determine patterns of computer use
• Developed manuals for tech tutors and
older adults that can be used to
establish training centres within each
home
• Conducted a pilot project with the
Nintendo Wii, exploring its usefulness as
a tool to enhance physical health and
social well-being
NSERC
Schlegel Villages
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The science behind ‘brain training’ is well
documented, but how do we increase
access to, and awareness of, its potential?
If brain training was like physical training,
would older adults take advantage of this
personalized and progressive training
opportunity?
DynamicBrain
NSERC
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‘Brain gym’ approach – a community-
based model for brain training
Gym Locations: Internet Café at our research
centre, Seniors’Centre, Retirement
Residence, Public Library
Gym members: 11 participants ages 68-78
Training schedule: 40 hours each
(1hr/day, 5 days/week)
Results: Enjoyment and subjective
improvement reported by all participants; the
Oakville Public Library picked up the ‘brain
gym’ and offered it as a regular activity
NSERC
DynamicBrain
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•Missed appointments
•Bad customer
experiences
• Inefficiencies
•Lost revenues
People lost in
public spaces is
a BIG problem!
NSERC
Jibestream
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NSERC
Sienna Senior Living
Online Community of
Learners: Engaging
residents with lifelong
learning opportunities
and connecting them with
like-minded individuals
A retirement home in Ontario connected with one in BC – all
participants were provided with iPads to support their learning and
communication throughout the project
The project expanded to 3 additional homes in the fall of 2015. The
next iteration will explore peer-led learning.
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NSERC
Tertec Enterprises
Mon Ami™ is a unique,
integrated plug-and-
play support system
that enables a
caregiver to remotely
support loved ones
through a host of
services.
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Using the iPad as
a reminiscence tool
The LifetimesTalk app
provides conversation
topics with matching
photography to stimulate
conversion between
individuals living with
dementia and their friends
and family.
NSERC
LifeTimesTalk
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Sheridan’s Social Service Worker-Gerontology students
were provided with iPads loaded with the LifeTimesTalk
app to use at their field practicum sites three days a
week for eight weeks.
The students were provided with a list of apps suitable
for use with older adults along with tips and
communication guidelines for teaching older adults about
technology.
The students were encouraged to be creative in their use
of iPads.
Application example
LIFETIMES TALK
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Successful students were able to use the
iPad creatively to:
Engage older adults
Facilitate new experiences
Nurture meaningful relationships, build trust
Support life long learning
Learn more about the clients as individuals
and therefore gain a better understanding of
their needs
CASE STUDY
Lessons learned
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• designed to receive, populate
and track consumer
medication intake through
Bluetooth pairing with their
Intelechip, Pharmaceutical
mobile monitoring system as
well as manual client input.
• the App will verbally alert
consumer of medication usage
information and act as a verbal
reminder of medication timing
with information downloaded
directly from dispensing
software.
NSERC
iCare Home Health app
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• WiseWear’s line of luxury
bracelets is called the
Socialite collection. Like
other wearable devices,
they track fitness and can
receive mobile alerts.
• The bangles can also
send a distress signal to
emergency contacts
should something go
wrong.
TECH TRENDS
Wearable devices
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A care home in Florence, Italy,
is pioneering the use of a
robot as a carer for its 20
elderly residents.
Robot-Era is coordinated by
the Robotics Institute of the
Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna
di Pisa as part of the world’s
largest experiment ever
carried out using service
robots, which involves 160
people in real-world
environments over four years
Robotic care
TECH NEWS As an aging population grows, we are seeing an
increase in robotic health aides
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From ITER S.A., Fall
Detector is a special app
that lets you know if an
older person has fallen. If
there is a longer-than-
normal period of no
movement, the signal will
sound so you will be
alerted and you can
check up on them.
ONE OF THE BEST APPS
Fall detector
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Dr. Naira Hovakimyan of the
University of Illinois with a
small drone that may
eventually be able to carry
out household tasks, like
retrieving a bottle of
medicine, for older adults
DRONES
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GYENNO Smart CUP
Incorporates an LCD
screen that allows the
drinker to customize and
monitor drinking plans
and set reminders to stay
hydrated.
TEXH TRENDS
Smart Cup
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Smart SPOON and FORK,
Smart CUP
Developed by GYENNO,
the so-called Smart
SPOON and FORK
counteracts hand
tremors associated with
Parkinson’s Disease
and other conditions and
collects data about the
individual’s tremors
SMART SPOON & FORK
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HUMAN CONNECTION
High touch, high tech
Aging in Place
What is more important to make this happen?
High touch or high tech? Both?
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In the end, technology is a tool – let’s make it
work for us!
Resources
Age Well – Canada’s technology and aging
network
http://agewell-nce.ca/
http://agewell-nce.ca/
Global Aging Technology Watch - Laurie Orlov
http://www.ageinplacetech.com/
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Thank you!
Pat Spadafora
(905) 845-9430 x 8615