Exploring the Systematic Attributes Influencing Gerontechnology Adoption for Elderly Users Using a Meta-Analysis

Factors influencing older adults' acceptance of voice assistants

Introduction

Voice assistants (VAs) have the potential to uphold and enhance the quality of life for older adults. However, the extent to which older adults accept and benefit from VAs may be relatively modest.

Methods

This study developed a comprehensive model combined with product and personal characteristics to explain the acceptance of VAs among older adults, using semi-structured interviews (Study 1) and questionnaires (Study 2).

Results

Results revealed that in terms of product characteristics, perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment significantly affect behavior intention. Regarding personal characteristics of older adults, technological self-efficacy and dispositional resistance to change significantly affect behavior intention. However, no direct impact of perceived ease of use and perceived trust on behavior intention. Additionally, perceived enjoyment influenced both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness.

Discussion

Results suggested the significant role of technology self-efficacy and dispositional resistance to change in predicting the acceptance of VAs among older adults. Our newly developed model offers valuable insights for tailoring VAs to this demographic during design and implementation.

The factors affecting acceptance of gerontechnological products by older Turkish adults

This study investigates the attitudes of Turkish older people towards the acceptance of gerontechnological products. It included a total of 871 older individuals aged 65 and above from seven geographical regions of Türkiye. A questionnaire adopted from previous studies was applied to collect the data. The use of products of the older people was studied under the headings of (i) home and daily life technology, (ii) communication technology, (iii) health technology and (iv) education and recreation technology. As a result of the factor analysis, 16 questions were classified under: "attitudes towards using technology (AUT), facilitating conditions (FC), perceived ease of use (PEU) and gerontechnology anxiety (GA)". The effect of independent variables on the use of gerontechnological products was investigated by one-way variance analysis, and the relationship between the use of neurotechnological products and the attitudes of the older people towards accepting gerontechnological products was investigated by correlation analysis. Region, place of residence, age, gender, education level, economic and health status were found to be important in use gerontechnological products (p < 0.05). There was a high correlation between product groups as well as between product groups and attitudes. Results can be utilized in the production and dissemination of gerontechnological products to increase the level of life quality of the older people.

Attitudes related to technology for active and healthy aging in a national multigenerational survey

Research is needed to understand attitudes toward and adoption of the broad range of technologies available to support active and healthy aging in different generations. The present article gives an overview of the GenerationTech survey and sample, and describes attitudes and acceptance related to technology in general and as a means to support active and healthy aging. A national survey was conducted with a random sample (n = 2,121) including men and women from three generations (30-39, 50-59 and 70-79-year-olds) in Sweden. The generations shared some attitudes toward and acceptance of technologies for active and healthy aging. However, what kind of technologies are preferred to support active and healthy aging and the reasons for using certain technologies differed by generation. The findings could help guide the development and implementation of technologies for active and healthy aging throughout the aging process.

Factors influencing the intention to use assistive technologies by older adults

Society is ageing at an unprecedented pace worldwide creating implications for the health and social care. Gerontechnology has been recognized as a solution that increases and supports the independency and well-being of older adults at home. This article aims to identify the most critical success factors effecting the adoption of an assistive gerontechnology by older adults in Poland. The object of the authors' interest was Rudy robot, an AI-enabled mobile solution helping users remain physically healthy, mentally sharp, and socially connected. The data was collected among Polish citizens using the CATI technique between November and December 2020. The number of returned questionnaires amounted to 824. The authors used Generalized Least Squares (GLS) of Structural Equation Modelling (GLS-SEM) to verify the hypotheses. The obtained results confirmed statistically significant relationships between the variables of perceived usefulness of Rudy robot and attitude reflecting the willingness to use this technology, as well as between perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of robot. However, relationship between perceived ease of use and inclination to use this technology in the future was not statistically significant. The conducted research confirmed that the functionality of the analysed Rudy robot for older-adult care positively influences their intension to use it in the future for their own needs or family members. The obtained results confirmed usefulness of robots as assistive technology helping older adults.

Predictors, types of Internet use, and the psychological well-being of older adults: A comprehensive model

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to evaluate a comprehensive model that includes predictors of use, types of internet use, and psychological well-being outcomes in the older population.

METHODS

The total sample comprised 650 older Internet users. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the effect of predictors (i.e., effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence, and ageism) on types of Internet use (i.e., information seeking, communication, instrumental use, and leisure) and the impact of the type of use on the psychological well-being of older adults (i.e., depressive and anxious symptomatology). In addition, the indirect effect of different types of Internet use was evaluated, that is, they were considered as mediator variables.

RESULTS

Effort expectancy, social influence, and ageism predicted different types of Internet use. The relationship between effort expectancy and anxious symptomatology had an indirect effect via information seeking, whereas the relationship between ageism and anxious symptomatology showed an indirect effect via leisure.

DISCUSSION

The findings support the importance of differentiating the types of Internet use to understand its impact on psychological well-being. Information seeking is associated with anxious symptomatology and is predicted by effort expectancy. On the contrary, leisure is crucial because of its relationship with anxious symptomatology, and less ageism can promote it. This information is useful for developing effective interventions that promote the well-being of older adults through the Internet, including strategies to cope with some online challenges that could lead to negative consequences, such as overload information.

Adoption Intention and Factors Influencing the Use of Gerontechnology in Chinese Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Mixed-Methods Study

Objective: To explore the Chinese community-dwelling intention of older adults to adopt gerontechnology and its influencing factors.

Design: A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design with an inductive approach was employed. In phase 1, a self-made questionnaire was administered from August 2018 to December 2019. Multifactor logistic regression was used to analyze the adoption intention and factors influencing the use of gerontechnology. In phase 2, participants completed a semistructured interview to explore the adoption intention of a specific form of gerontechnology, Smart Aged Care Platform, from May to July 2020.

Setting: Twelve communities in three districts of Chongqing, China.

Participants: Community-dwelling older adults were included.

Results: A total of 1,180 older adults completed the quantitative study; two-thirds of them (68.7%) showed adoption intention toward gerontechnology. Nineteen participants (10 users and nine nonusers) completed the qualitative study and four themes were explored. Through a summarized understanding of the qualitative and quantitative data, a conceptual model of influencing factors, namely, predictive, enabling, and need factors, was constructed.

Conclusions: This study reveals that most Chinese community-dwelling older adults welcome the emergence of new technologies. However, there was a significant difference in the adoption intention of gerontechnology in Chinese community-dwelling older adults based on their sociodemographic and psychographic characteristics. Our findings extend previous technology acceptance models and theories and contribute to the existing resource base.

Ethics and acceptance of smart homes for older adults

Societal challenges associated with caring for the physical and mental health of older adults worldwide have grown at an unprecedented pace, increasing demand for health-care services and technologies Despite the development of several assistive systems tailored to older adults, the rate of adoption of health technologies is low. This review discusses the ethical and acceptability challenges resulting in low adoption of health technologies specifically focused on smart homes for older adults. The findings have been structured in two categories: Ethical Considerations (Privacy, Social Support, and Autonomy) and Technology Aspects (User Context, Usability, and Training). The findings conclude that older adults community is more likely to adopt assistive systems when four key criteria are met. The technology should: be personalized toward their needs, protect their dignity and independence, provide user control, and not be isolating. Finally, we recommend researchers and developers working on assistive systems to: (1) provide interfaces via smart devices to control and configure the monitoring system with feedback for the user, (2) include various sensors/devices to architect a smart home solution in a way that is easy to integrate in daily life, and (3) define policies about data ownership.

Bridging the Digital Divide for Older Adults via Observational Training: Effects of Model Identity from a Generational Perspective

The proliferation of technology offers potential solutions for enhancing the well-being of older adults. However, older adults often have low digital literacy and are disengaged from the digital world. With age-appropriate training, older adults are expected to acquire a wide range of technological skills and bridge the digital divide. Through the lens of social cognitive theory, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of observational training through behavior modeling in enhancing technology acceptance in older adults. The moderating effects of model identity on training outcomes from a generational perspective are examined. An empirical training experiment was completed with 59 community-dwelling older adults. Training outcomes were measured using cognitive knowledge, affective variables, and meta-cognition. The results ascertain the effectiveness of observational training in improving their technological knowledge, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and sense of social connectedness when using technologies. From a generational perspective, the older adult behavior model is more effective than the young or child behavior models in increasing self-efficacy and willingness to use technology. The model identity further enhances the positive outcomes of training. The results of this study contribute to designing educational interventions to bridge the digital divide.