Äldre vuxna tillhör en målgrupp som har en bred inomgruppsvariation som framställs från en negativ stereotyp; en målgrupp i behov av hjälp. Samhället har förutfattade meningar att äldre vuxna är “resistenta” till teknologi med anledning av deras åldersrelaterade funktionsvariationer inom kognition och motorik. Detta resulterar till att de exkluderas från framtagning av ny teknologi. Att sträva efter tillgänglig design blir mer vanligt samtidigt som praktiker anser att tillgänglig design bidrar till tråkig och ointressant design, samt en begränsning i deras kreativitet. EU införde ett webbtillgänglighetsdirektiv som följer World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) etablerade designriktlinjer för tillgänglighet, mer känt som WCAG. Web Accessibility Initiative “WAI” plockade ut riktlinjer från WCAG som bidrar till bättre webbdesign för äldre; WAI-AGE. Fyra designriktlinjer för navigation valdes ut från WAI-AGE för att implementeras inom en prototyp som ska testas på äldre vuxna i ett användarupplevelsetest på distans med anledning av COVID-19. Inför testet sattes fem användarupplevelse- och användbarhetsmål för att bedöma upplevelsen från WAI-AGE riktlinjer. För studien rekryterades fyra testdeltagare i åldrarna 60-65 år. Deltagarna fick genomföra två scenarier och besvara tre enkäter. Studien tillämpade metodtriangulering för att stärka upp datainsamlingen med hjälp av tänka högt-metoden och observation. Data insamlad från testet genomgick en deduktiv analys som granskades från ett holistiskt perspektiv. Resultatet påvisade att WAI-AGE riktlinjer för navigation främjar en positiv användarupplevelse med majoriteten av satta mål uppnådda. Då rekryterade deltagare var snarlika varandra inom behov och vanor finns det fortfarande utrymme att testa på äldre vuxna från 65 år och uppåt. Detta examensarbete strävar efter att uppmärksamma äldre vuxnas behov att inkluderas vid framtagning av ny teknik. / Older adults belong to a target group that has a broad intra-group variation that is presented from a negative stereotype; a target group in need of help. Society has preconceived notions that older adults are "resistant" to technology due to their age-related declines in cognition and motor skills. This results in them being excluded from the development of new technology. Striving for accessible design is becoming more common at the same time as practitioners believe that accessibility contributes to boring and uninteresting design, as well as a limitation in their creativity. The EU introduced a Web Accessibility Directive that follows the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) established design guidelines for accessibility, better known as WCAG. Web Accessibility Initiative “WAI” picked out guidelines from WCAG that are said to contribute to better design for older adults; WAI-AGE. Four design guidelines for navigation were selected from WAI-AGE to be implemented within a prototype to be tested on older adults in a remote user experience test due to COVID-19. Prior to the test, five user experience goals were set to be able to assess whether WAI-AGE guidelines work. For the study, four test participants aged 60-65 years were recruited. The participants had to complete two scenarios and answer three questionnaires. The study applied method triangulation to enhance data collection using the think aloud-method and observation. Data collected from the test underwent a deductive analysis that was examined from a holistic perspective. The results showed that WAI-AGE guidelines for navigation promote a positive user experience with a majority of goals achieved. As the participants had similar needs, there is still room to test on older adults aged 65 and up. This thesis strives to draw attention to the need for older adults to be included in the development of new technology.

Introduktion: Teknikutvecklingen och digitaliseringen i samhället sker i en hög hastighet. Äldre vuxna är en grupp som ofta saknar den kompetens, kunskap och de färdigheter som är nödvändiga för att kunna nyttja de hälsoresurser och hälsoinformation som finns tillgängliga online. För att kunna engagera sig i e-hälsa och söka hälsoinformation online krävs det att de äldre vuxna har en viss nivå av eHealth literacy. eHealth literacy är förmågan att söka, hitta, förstå och värdera hälsoinformation från elektroniska källor, och tillämpa den kunskap som erhålls för att lösa ett hälsoproblem. Syfte: Syftet med litteraturöversikten var att belysa om det finns ett förhållande mellan eHealth literacy och hälsobeteenden samt hälsoutfall hos äldre vuxna, 55 år och äldre. Metod: Metoden som användes var en strukturerad litteraturöversikt. Analysmetoden som användes var en induktiv tematisk analys av 10 kvalitetsgranskade tidskriftsartiklar. Resultat: Den tematiska analysen genererade i 3 teman; Förbättrad livsstil, Engagemang i egenvård och eHealth literacy en mellanliggande faktor till hälsobeteenden och hälsorelaterad livskvalité. Resultatet visade att en ökad nivå av eHealth literacy hos äldre vuxna förbättrade deras hälsobeteenden, hälsobeslut och hälsoutfall i form av välmående och hälsorelaterad livskvalité. eHealth literacy hade både en direkt och en indirekt effekt på de studerade utfallen. Slutsats: Resultatet belyste betydelsen av att arbeta förebyggande och hälsofrämjande med äldres eHealth literacy förmåga för att i sin tur stärka deras hälsa, livskvalité och delaktighet i sin egenvård. eHealth literacy är en central faktor för äldres hälsa och för att de ska kunna nyttja de e-hälsotjänster som finns tillgängliga till sin fulla potential. / Introduction: Older adults often lack the skills and competence necessary to be able to use health resources and health information available online. To be able to get involved in digital health and search for health information online older adults are required to have a certain level of eHealth literacy. eHealth literacy is defined as the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem. Aim: The purpose of the literature review was to shed light on whether there is a relationship between eHealth literacy and health behaviors and health outcomes in older adults. Methods: The method used was a structured literature review. The method of analysis used was an inductive thematic analysis of 10 peer-reviewed journal articles. Results: The thematic analysis generated in 3 themes; Improved lifestyle, Commitment to self-care and eHealth literacy an intermediate factor to health behaviours and health-related quality of life. The results showed that an increased level of eHealth literacy in older adults improved their health behaviours, health decisions and health outcomes in terms of well-being and health-related quality of life. eHealth literacy had both a direct and an indirect effect on the outcomes studied. Conclusion: The results highlighted the importance of working health-promoting with the elderly's eHealth literacy to be able to strengthen their health and participation in their own healthcare. eHealth literacy is a key factor for the health of the elderly and for theme to be able to use the e-health services available to their full potential.

Background: Older people are faced with special physical and mental health challenges associated with ageing. Over 20% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental or neurological disorder. It is known, and has been shown in previous studies, that physical activity can enhance physical and mental health. Meditative martial arts such as Tai Chi are, in most cases, low-intensity mind-body exercises that involve very graceful movements, which are performed in a slow, rhythmical, and well-controlled manner. This makes the practice suitable for older adults. Study aim: To investigate and assess the impact of different types of martial arts on mental health, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and wellbeing among older adults, who are healthy or suffer from a mild cognitive impairment. Methods: This study focused on experimental studies with interventions of martial arts on older adults. Nine original articles gathered from Web of Science (n=1) and PubMed (n=8) were reviewed, compared and summarized. Keywords used were; “martial arts” AND “mental health” in both databases respectively. Results: The practice of martial arts is associated with positive results of both physical and mental health aspects. Tai Chi can lead to improvements of mental ability, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and improve the physical ability of older adults. Conclusion: Martial arts as a means of intervention may be beneficial for the wellbeing and overall quality of life in older adults and should be recommended. However, nine original articles are not sufficient for stating the significance of martial arts on mental health among older adults. Further research is therefore required.

Inspired by Valerie DeMarinis quantitative study Pastoral care, existential health, and existential epidemiology: a Swedish postmodern case study (2003), and Peter Strang and Susann Strang’s research Questions posed to hospital chaplains by palliative care patients (2002) the aim of this quantitative research was to continue to investigate the field of Existential health and pastoral care. With the background of previous research within the field of Psychology of Religion and Existential health, this study also wants to direct attention to a group especially affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic: the group of old adults, living at retirement homes in Sweden. A group who, bound by the restriction orders, got isolated from their social surroundings outside their homes. By investigating priests and deacons in the Church of Sweden's perception of their relations and conversations with older adults before, during, and after the implemented Covid-19 restrictions, this study tries to answer the following research questions: (1) How has the expression of existential health, according to priests and deacons who work with old adults living at elderly centers, has been affected during the pandemic? (2) In what way has the relationship between the Church of Sweden and retirement homes gotten affected during the pandemic? By using DeMarinis theory on levels of health and existential information, (DeMarinis 2003:2008) a suggestion of categorisation of themes in pastoral care was created. The original themes in this study were based on DeMarinis survey posed to church chaplains (DeMarinis, 2003) and got categorized into seven head categories: (a) Loneliness, (b) Psychological themes, (c,) Identity-themes, (d) Social themes, (e) Existential themes, (f) Religious- and Spiritual themes, and (g) Fysical themes. The head categories were later used in the analysis. The material was collected through a survey, posed to priests and deacons within the Church of Sweden. The survey was sent by email to 644 parishes all across the country, and answered anonymously by 355 priests and deacons. By dividing the survey into four parts: (1) demographic information about the respondents, followed by repeated questions to (2) the time before the restraining orders (3) the time during the restraining orders, and (3) the time after the release of the restraining orders, the results came out as following: through all the time-periods loneliness was the most common theme, followed by Psychological themes. Identity-themes, such as life story, work, ageing, decreased during the times of restriction orders. In the same period of time, existential and religious themes got more common, especially themes that can be seen as negatory, such as depression, fear of death, God’s absence, suicidal thoughts. Regarding the relational question between the Church of Sweden and retirement homes, the respondents indicated a change in frequencies of contact, and places of contact. Before the pandemic, the majority of the respondents often had contact with older adults living at the retirement homes, usually in relation to the parish activities at the centers. With the restrictions 80% (N=350) had contact less than once a month, compared to before, 57,8% (N=351) had contact more than 2-3 times a month. Contact by phone got more common, and the contact depended on either staff at the elderly-center, relatives to the elderly, or the respondent during the restraining orders.

One in three employees in Sweden experiences work-related health problems due to stress, high workload etc. This can result in ill health with problems such as anxiety and sleep problems. An increasing number of adults are changing careers due to these circumstances. This study examines which factors can impact a decision of changing careers, how the decision-making process is carried out and how a midlife career change can affect the individual’s well-being for the better. The study was based on aqualitative method with seven respondents, who had all made a career change. The study aims to answer the following questions:- Which influencing factors can lead to a career change?- What does the process of decision-making within career change look like for individuals experiencing ill health?- Can a career-change result in a better well-being, health and self-esteem?The following theories have been applied in the study: Hodkinson and Sparkes Careership theory, Albert Bandura's Theory of Self-efficacy and Work-life balance. The results of the study show that the main factors leading to a career change are mental health issues, stress and general well-being. Other common factors have been the desire to find a more meaningful job and achieve better balance in life. The result of the study also shows that the decision-making process for individuals with ill health changing careers can vary, where some underwent voluntarily and others involuntarily breaking points. The result also shows that individuals often make choices based on their action-horizon and well-known fields, but that logic, reason and emotions all come to play when changing careers. In the result it has emerged that support from relatives such as family and friends has been a significant part, but also that study and career-counselors had an important part. In terms of well-being, health and self-esteem, the results show that all respondents experience an improved overall-health after their career change.