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Older Users’ Perspectives on Mobility-Related Assistive Technology Research

an exploratory study undertaken at

Age Concern Institute of Gerontology,

Anthea Tinker & Claudine McCreadie

and

Centre of Rehabilitation Engineering

Alan Turner-Smith & Philip Blake

King’s College London

EQUAL

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Summary

The Background

The Challenge

Study design

Presenting the Problem

Emerging Themes – Problems & Solutions

Next stages in this research

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Mobility-related problems increase with age

Engineering help is at hand

New technology needs to be wanted

Older people have significant views.

The Background

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The Challenge:

To produce Assistive Technology that is To produce Assistive Technology that is

attractive to older people, attractive to older people,

that will be used by them, and that will that will be used by them, and that will

promote their mobility.promote their mobility.

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NOW

Future

Study design

Test if older people can identify and describe mobility-related problems they encounter.

Review previous research Conduct focus group discussions

Involve postgraduate engineering students to take users views into account to understand needs of older people.

Test if older people can suggest ideas to be addressed by assistive technology research.

Use these views to plan potential R & D.

Obtain older people’s responses to these plans.

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Presenting the Problem

Scenarios for focus group discussion were created by merging coded themes from The International Classification of Functioning and

Disability: WHO ICIDH-2. Codes for mobility-related activities http://www.who.int/icidh/

Scales for disability used by the Office for Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS)

EASYcare Elderly Assessment System Sheffield Institute for Studies on Ageing http://www.bbr-online.com/easycare/

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Scenarios Scenario and pictures presented that show:

Getting out of bedGoing downstairs Reaching and bending

Carrying things to the tableAnswering the door

Moving chairs

Getting in andout of a car

Walking outside

Each member selected 3 most critical pictures

Open discussion on problems and solutions

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Focus Groups Research Team:

Social Scientist: facilitator Engineers:

resource; note taker; reflection(student)

Focus groups: PILOT: Age Concern, Islington

mobility problems

University of the Third Age (U3A), Design Group mobile and actively thinking about design

Age Concern, Bexley Heath severe mobility problems

Hertfordshire Health Promotion Group and Lister Day Hospital, Stevenage.

severe mobility problems

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Emerging Themes – Problems & Solutions

Activity Stairs Reaching & Bending Others

Getting in and out of bed, chairs, and cars Uneven surfaces Carrying things Opening doors

Participation Information issues Attitudes & Fears Service issues

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Activities Stairs

Grip rails to be small enough to hold and non-slip Steps to be uniform, shallow, and well-lit

Reaching & Bending No kneeling after hip operation Cannot reach high or into deep cupboards Frightened or unsteady on steps without rail Kitchens have shelves, cupboards,

and oven at wrong height

Others Getting in and out of bed, chairs, and cars Uneven surfaces Carrying things Opening doors

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Participation Information issues

We cannot get out to see and buy these things We’ve seen some catalogues, but everything is expensive We need to talk to each other about tricks and gadgets.

Attitudes & Fears The key thing is to keep our independence I’m scared of falling, hurting myself Stores aimed at “the disabled” – we don’t want to go in there! I really appreciate … taking me out.

Service issues Some get want they need immediately,

some wait for months or years Why should I pay £3,000 when I might not live long?

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Next stages in this research

Use these views to plan potential R & D Analyse records of group discussions Collate ideas from students Compare existing solutions from literature Create models of potential solutions that might

be possible given further engineering research.

Obtain older people’s responses to these plans. Present the models in follow-up focus groups Analyse records of group discussions

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Thanks for watching!

We would be very glad to receive your comments.

Please contact

alan.turner-smith@kcl.ac.uk