Purpose: The concept of aging at home is one that has seen massive gains in popularity amongst older adults in the last few years, especially with the advent of technologies that help them maintain autonomy and functional independence. However, in order to support such an endeavor and ensure the safety and well-being of older adults who choose to partake, an analysis of the concept of home and its many facets should be explored, including its relationship with technology. The aim of this research was to develop a model of the relationship between wellness technology and experiences of home for older persons and examine the role of loneliness (as an important component of wellness) in this relationship. The project addressed the following research questions: (i) Does technology influence experiences of loneliness in older adults? (ii) How does loneliness affect an older adult's experience of home?
Methods: A mixed methods study was used that included Go-Along interviews with 15 older adults receiving services from a unique, older adult centered facility in Ottawa, the Perley Rideau. Services at the Perley Rideau include but are not limited to providing short term care, long term care, as well as independent senior living apartments. Participants completed a number of scales that assessed their attitudes towards technology as well as their levels of loneliness. After conducting an initial round of interviews, participants were introduced to a wellness technology called WellAssistTM. They were asked to use the technology for a period of three months after which an exit interview was conducted. The exit interview included an additional Go-Along interview, a loneliness assessment, and administration of the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) to examine the user's perceptions about the effects from using the WellAssistTM. Twelve participants completed the exit interview.
Results: The pre and post intervention analysis of the UCLA Loneliness scale showed a statistically significant decrease in loneliness scores with increased usage of the wellness technology, WellAssistTM. The thematic analysis of our interviews showed that loneliness affected the experience of home in the following way(s); diminished connection to home and feelings of home which negatively impacted the older adult's overall experience of home.
Discussion: The findings suggest that wellness technology can have an impact on the older adults' experience of home by reducing loneliness and improving their overall state of wellness. Further research is needed to explore how such results would carry over onto larger sample populations as well as to explore the direct of relationship between technology that promotes wellness and the older adult's experience of home.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/43600 |
| Date | 16 May 2022 |
| Creators | Cepalo, Tanita |
| Contributors | Jutai, Jeffrey |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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