Waycott Jenny, Zhao Wei, Kelly Ryan M, Robertson Elena
School of Computing and Information Systems, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
No to Violence, Melbourne, Australia.
JMIR Aging. 2022 Apr 12;5(2):e31162. doi: 10.2196/31162.
Digital technologies such as virtual reality (VR), humanoid robots, and digital companion pets have the potential to provide social and emotional enrichment for people living in aged care. However, there is currently limited knowledge about how technologies are being used to provide enrichment, what benefits they provide, and what challenges arise when deploying these technologies in aged care settings.
This study aims to investigate how digital technologies are being used for social and emotional enrichment in the Australian aged care industry and identify the benefits and challenges of using technology for enrichment in aged care.
A web-based survey (N=20) was distributed among people working in the Australian aged care sector. The survey collected information about the types of technologies being deployed and their perceived value. The survey was followed by semistructured interviews (N=12) with aged care workers and technology developers to investigate their experiences of deploying technologies with older adults living in aged care. Survey data were analyzed using summary descriptive statistics and categorizing open-ended text responses. Interview data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.
The survey revealed that a range of commercial technologies, such as VR, tablet devices, and mobile phones, are being used in aged care to support social activities and provide entertainment. Respondents had differing views about the value of emerging technologies, such as VR, social robots, and robot pets, but were more united in their views about the value of videoconferencing. Interviews revealed 4 types of technology-mediated enrichment experiences: enhancing social engagement, virtually leaving the care home, reconnecting with personal interests, and providing entertainment and distraction. Our analysis identified 5 barriers: resource constraints, the need to select appropriate devices and apps, client challenges, limited staff and organizational support, and family resistance.
This study demonstrates that technologies can be used in aged care to create personally meaningful enrichment experiences for aged care clients. To maximize the effectiveness of technology-mediated enrichment, we argue that a person-centered care approach is crucial. Although enrichment experiences can be created using available technologies, they must be carefully selected and co-deployed with aged care clients. However, significant changes may be required within organizations to allow caregivers to facilitate individual technology-based activities for enrichment.
虚拟现实（VR）、人形机器人和数字陪伴宠物等数字技术有潜力为生活在老年护理机构中的人们提供社交和情感充实感。然而，目前对于如何利用这些技术来实现充实感、它们能带来哪些益处以及在老年护理环境中部署这些技术时会出现哪些挑战，了解有限。
本研究旨在调查澳大利亚老年护理行业如何利用数字技术实现社交和情感充实，并确定在老年护理中利用技术实现充实的益处和挑战。
在澳大利亚老年护理领域工作的人员中开展了一项基于网络的调查（N = 20）。该调查收集了有关所部署技术类型及其感知价值的信息。调查之后，对老年护理工作者和技术开发者进行了半结构化访谈（N = 12），以调查他们与生活在老年护理机构中的老年人一起部署技术的经历。调查数据采用汇总描述性统计进行分析，并对开放式文本回复进行分类。访谈数据采用反思性主题分析进行分析。
调查显示，一系列商业技术，如VR、平板电脑和手机，正在老年护理中用于支持社交活动和提供娱乐。受访者对VR、社交机器人和机器人宠物等新兴技术的价值看法不一，但对视频会议的价值看法更为一致。访谈揭示了4种技术介导的充实体验类型：增强社交参与度、虚拟离开护理机构、重新找回个人兴趣以及提供娱乐和消遣。我们的分析确定了5个障碍：资源限制、需要选择合适的设备和应用程序、客户方面的挑战、工作人员和组织支持有限以及家庭阻力。
本研究表明，技术可用于老年护理，为老年护理客户创造具有个人意义的充实体验。为了使技术介导的充实效果最大化，我们认为以人为主的护理方法至关重要。虽然可以利用现有技术创造充实体验，但必须仔细选择并与老年护理客户共同部署这些技术。然而，各组织内部可能需要进行重大变革，以使护理人员能够促进基于个人技术的充实活动。
