Design for Eldelry : Taking a Human Factors Approach to Design

Abstract

�The world population is changing: for the first time, there are more people over 64 than children younger than 5.� We are all aware of how rapidly demographics are changing in most countries, where improved health care, changing birth rates, and improvements in housing, water, and energy infrastructure have resulted in an increase in the number of older people in their populations. Over 139 million people in India are over the age of 60, accounting for more than 10% of the total population. With 319 million people over the age of 60, the proportion of older people is expected to nearly double to 19.5% by 2050. This means that one in every five Indians is likely to be over the age of 60. Our societies and governments face significant challenges as a result of these changes. Too often, political debate has framed population aging as a problem to be solved. Employer prejudice reflected in the rejection of people over the age of 55�60 reflects a broader community prejudice against older people, namely that they are invariably slow, resistant to change, and prone to serious health issues. All of these stereotypes persist, but they are incorrect. Increasing life expectancy is beneficial to the economy. Longevity has a significant economic impact. Older people contribute to economic growth as both producers and consumers of goods and services. The over-60s in India make up 10.5% of the population but control more than 30% of the country�s economic assets. They contribute billions of dollars to the economy through volunteer work, care for the elderly and disabled, and child care. According to surveys conducted in several countries, the majority of older people want to remain independent in theirown homes for as long as possible. Older people have a great influence over policy decisions. The emphasis has to be onaging-in-place. Rapid technological advancements, particularly those driven by information and communication technologies, provide a plethora of opportunities to support this strategy. In a country like India, ethnicity and language differences present unique challenges to inclusion and access to aged support services. In addition, there are significant socioeconomic differences and regional variations that must be taken into account. As the world becomes more urbanized, the needs of the elderly must be addressed appropriately. In general, rural areas and indigenous communities have unique transportation, health-care, and social-communication needs. Collaboration and cooperation with older people from a variety of backgrounds, interests, and experiences can lead to novel approaches to assistive technology. Acceptance and use of such assistive technologies, on the other hand, are dependent on the perceptions and attitudes of potential customers. Younger technologists frequently fail to consult with older adults when developing these technologiesand associated devices, and as a result, their products are market failures. The issues surrounding older adults� adoption and use of new technologies are complex, and this is the major theme I tried to explore throughout this project. There is a wide diversity amongst older people which needs to be recognized. It is critical to gain a better understanding of older people�s contributions, capabilities, needs, and aspirations. This rapidly changing field provides an innovative, critical, and comprehensive approach to technological and social issues. This collection fills the void by focusing on the knowledge that is missing in a comprehensive and multidisciplinary manner. This is an attempt to contribute to the development and application of assistive and social technologies for older people by enlisting the help of sociologists, doctors, computer scientists, engineers, and design practitioners to investigate the design, implementation, and evaluation of these technologies.