second recording

Technology is reshaping our lives, and today we're discussing how ICT can help alleviate social isolation among elders. ICT has proven beneficial in supporting information sharing, physical activity, and mental health for older adults. However, the introduction of ICT has also widened the social divide for some. Customizing ICT platforms to meet the specific needs of seniors is important. Ray Chang's research identified five purposes of technology for elders: enhancing social communication, facilitating social participation, cultivating a sense of belonging, providing companionship, and ensuring elders feel seen and valued. Social participation and communication are the primary focuses, as they address the foundational need for human connection. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter have been adapted for the elderly, creating user-friendly interfaces that enable easier access to content from their social circles. New networks have also been created, fostering a sense of community. Other Hello and welcome to WellTechTalk, where we dive deep into how technology is reshaping our lives and society. I'm your host, Laura Lau. Let's firstly welcome our co-host for today's topic. Niall right now is a UX researcher sponsored by a G-E-W-E-L-L, a Canadian network that brings everyone together to develop technologies and services for healthy aging. Hello, this is Niall. It is my pleasure to join in today's discussion on ICT's role in alleviating social isolation among elders. Our elders have witnessed the world evolve in unimaginable ways. Yet as technology advances at breakneck speed, many find themselves on the periphery of this digital revolution. Yes, as the G-E-W-E-L's white paper of 2020 indicates, ICT has also proven beneficial in supporting information sharing, physical activity, and mental health, particularly for older adults with cognitive impairments and their caregivers. In my recent study on the ICT role during COVID-19, older adults have found digital platforms like social media and AI apps vital for their mental health and well-being. Yes, but there are also complaints. At the Canadian Conference on Gerontology and Geriatrics 2023, researchers indicate the introduction of ICT, meant to bridge gaps, has inadvertently widened the divide for some, limiting their ability to engage with the digital world effectively. You are right. The effectiveness of ICT is not universal. Factors such as digital literacy, internet access, and an individual's educational background inadvertently widen the social divide. For our design practitioners and researchers, it is quite important to know how to customize ICT platforms to manage various requirements and expectations of our senior people. Agree. So today, Ray Chang, a UTM researcher, joins us to talk about his research on how technology can effectively help the aging in the scenario of alleviating social isolation. Welcome Ray. Thank you, Laura, and hello, Neil. I'm thrilled to be here. The motivation behind my research was seeing firsthand how social isolation affected our elderly population during the pandemic. ICT has the potential to bridge this gap, but it's crucial to understand which technologies serve their needs best and why. Certainly, it's an increasing burden to help our parents or grandparents, not just with all kinds of other matters like financial aspects, health aspects. But the technology aspect of it is something I don't think I can personally envisage before I get old enough. Tell me, can you share a bit more about technology really required by our elders? Laura, it's an important question. The technology needs of our elders are as varied as they are significant. Through my systematic review, I identified that these needs could be broadly categorized into five purposes, each addressing a fundamental aspect of their lives. These are enhancing social communication, facilitating social participation, cultivating a sense of belonging, providing companionship, and ensuring elders feel seen and valued. That's a comprehensive breakdown, Ray. How did you arrive at these specific purposes through your research? The detailed analysis of scholarly articles using Google Scholar, focusing on empirical studies that explored different ICT tools supporting social connection among the elderly. My search was precise, using keywords related to the elderly, ICT interventions, and social connection. From the initial pool of 147 papers published between 2020 and 2024, I meticulously narrowed it down to 28 that discuss specific ICT tools in detail. That sounds like an extensive effort, but are all mentioned purposes equally fulfilled by current ICT tools? No, at least based on my systematic review on 28 empirical studies. Most all-sided tools are designed for enhancing social communication, and the majority are mentioned to facilitate social participation. In the recent empirical design studies, I am looking at platforms that facilitate direct interaction, like video chat apps, which allow elderly to maintain visual contact with family and friends. Online platforms hosting virtual classes or social groups are frequently discussed to help elderly stay engaged with hobbies and community activities. Absolutely. And what about the sense of belonging and companionship? These seem especially crucial for mitigating feelings of isolation. Lee, Neil, to cultivate a sense of belonging, I found platforms designed for elders to share life experiences and milestones very effective. As for companionship, technological innovations like robotic pets or AI-driven chatbots played a significant role, providing interactive support and reducing loneliness. The concept of companionship was only explored. In two studies, where solutions involved virtual support mechanisms like robots or virtual pet applications to address the emotional needs and provide companionship to the elderly. Ray, you've highlighted social participation and communication as primary purposes of ICT for the elderly. Can you explain why these are more emphasized over belonging and companionship? Social participation and communication stems from the foundational need for human connection, which is often the first aspect that gets disrupted as people age, especially when living alone or in care facilities. While belonging and companionship are incredibly important, they are, in a way, secondary layers of social needs that are built upon the foundation of basic social interaction. Yes. So you're suggesting that effective communication and participation are the building blocks for deeper connections? Think of it as a hierarchy of social needs among the elderly. At the base, there's the need to stay connected with the world, knowing what's happening around them, keeping in touch with family and friends. This level of connectivity ensures they are not cut off, addressing the direct threat of isolation. Well, that makes a lot of sense, Ray. How does social participation and communication through ICT specifically address this threat? Well, Laura, my review uncovered fascinating trends in how social networks have been adapted and newly created to reduce isolation among older adults. For example, adaptations of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have been tailored with user-friendly interfaces for the elderly, enabling easier access to content from their social circles, primarily through tablets or TVs. These modifications are crucial in fostering an engaging social environment and provide spaces for elders to engage with wider communities, sharing their thoughts, experiences, and even seeking advice. Yes. I have attended a webinar with a G-E-W-E-L-L explaining the new network app to connect senior people with the same hobby of photography. I find the creation of new networks particularly interesting. Can you share more about how these platforms contribute to elder socialization? One study designed a platform named eChurch, creating virtual communities that mirror real-world interactions, like praying together. It is a result of COVID-19 isolation and continues to connect people when the obstacles are removed. It exemplifies how ICT can transcend traditional boundaries to foster a sense of community among the elderly, especially during times of isolation like those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The design of eChurch, focusing on accessible and user-friendly interfaces, has enabled users to easily navigate and participate in services, discussions, and community activities, thereby enhancing their sense of belonging and community attachment. ITNOT just bridged the gap during the peak of the pandemic, but also continues to be a valuable resource for connection, even as obstacles to physical gatherings are removed. Its success lies in its ability to encourage active participation, foster emotional support networks, and promote inclusivity, making everyone feel valued in part of a larger whole. Moving beyond the social network, are there any other tools you would like to share with us from your research? Certainly. The other useful ICT tools are video chat, messaging services, virtual environments, robotic technologies, entertainment applications, and content creation tools. They are reshaping elder care and socialization. Video chat has become a cornerstone for maintaining family connections, significantly enhancing social interaction messaging. Services offer a deeply personalized way to connect, enabling one-to-one interactions through various formats like text, voice, and video messages. Virtual environments and robotic technologies, on the other hand, extend the boundaries of traditional elder care. Entertainment applications, such as Elevate and Familio, blend amusement with social interaction, incorporating elements like integrated video conferencing or interactive play with robots. The advent of content creation tools in elder socialization enable older adults to be both consumers and producers of content. These tools empower them to contribute actively to their communities. This shift not only enriches their social experience, but also fosters a more vibrant and interactive community engagement. Each of these tools plays a unique role in addressing the multifaceted issue of social isolation, reflecting the intention of ICT to enhance social connectivity and community belonging among the elderly. Absolutely. Woo, it is really a rich package of creating customized ICT tools for our senior citizens. I'm curious, Ray, about the impact of these tools. Have you found examples where such ICT interventions have significantly improved the lives of the elderly? Absolutely. One notable example from my review was a virtual book club hosted over Zoom, specifically tailored for the elderly. Participants reported feeling more connected and intellectually stimulated, with some even forming new friendships. It's a clear testament to how well-designed ICT interventions can foster a strong sense of community and shared purpose. It sounds fascinating, Ray. It's like we're on the cusp of a new era in how we interact with technology. But are these advanced tools being quite effective to support the elderly, or are there hesitation or complaints? It's hard to decide only based on the current 28 reviewed studies, but it's fascinating to note that a significant majority of the studies I reviewed were not just content with deploying ICT solutions. They rigorously evaluated their usability with older adults. It's clear that when ICT tools are easy to use and meet the elder's needs, they're more likely to be embraced and integrated into daily life, thereby significantly impacting their quality of life. It is important to set up specific evaluation criteria when designing customized ICT solutions for the elderly. How can we measure the effectiveness of these tools? The criteria mentioned in all reviewed studies encompassed usability, user experience, loneliness, social isolation, and user acceptance. For instance, a video calling app's effectiveness isn't just in its ability to connect two people but in how easy it is for an elder to initiate a call, navigate the interface, and enjoy a high-quality conversation without technical interruptions. To gauge the effectiveness of these ICT tools, the research adopted quantitative measures assessing aspects like usability, loneliness, and social isolation and user acceptance towards the solution so that an effectiveness index can be generated to compare the ICT tools and make the final decision on the customized solution. From what I've seen, one major hurdle is overcoming the initial intimidation many elderly feel towards new technology. There's a fear of the unknown, of making mistakes. How does your research suggest we address this? That's a very real concern. Laura, my findings highlight the importance of personalized support in community-based programs that offer hands-on training. Moreover, designing technology that feels familiar and intuitive to older users is crucial. Absolutely. Certainly, Ray. Another aspect is the cost and accessibility of these technologies. Not every elder has the means or the physical ability to use standard devices. Are there innovative solutions on the horizon to help bridge this gap? Absolutely, Neil. One promising area is the development of affordable, specialized devices tailored for the elderly, focusing on ease of use and essential functions rather than on a multitude of features. There's also exciting work in voice-assisted technology and wearables that can offer more intuitive interactions and adapt to the user's preferences and abilities over time, becoming more user-friendly and helpful. This promising work suggests exploring AI and machine learning to create adaptive interfaces that can learn from the user's habits and preferences. And regarding research, what gaps have you identified that future studies might aim to fill? My review revealed a critical need for more rigorous evaluative research. While positive care are frequently reported, the lack of diverse measurement scales and the scarcity of randomized controlled trials limits my understanding of each ICT solution's effectiveness. Based on this systematic review, I am going to incorporate robust study designs and diverse outcome assessments to thoroughly evaluate the potential of ICT in addressing social isolation. Ray, your insights provide a roadmap for the future of ICT in elder care, emphasizing the importance of tailored solutions and the need for comprehensive research. It's an exciting time for technology and elder care, with immense potential for positive impact. Indeed, Laura. And Ray, your work lays the foundation for this important journey. By continuing to adapt and innovate, we can ensure that ICT solutions not only meet the immediate needs of the elderly, but also enrich their lives in meaningful ways. Thank you, Ray, for sharing your findings and vision with us. To our listeners, we hope this discussion inspires you to consider the role of ICT in elder care and the impact it can have on reducing social isolation. Let's continue to push the boundaries of what technology can achieve for our elders. Thank you for having me. It's been a pleasure discussing these vital issues with you both. And to our listeners, thank you for joining us on WellTech Talk. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on technology's role in improving our lives and society. Goodbye for now.