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Algorithmic technologies and (large) data infrastructures, often referred to as Artificial Intelligence (AI), have received increasing attention from gerontological research in the last decade. Although there is much literature that dissects and explores the development, application, and evaluation of AI relevant to gerontology, this study makes a novel contribution by critically engaging with the theorizing in this growing field of research. We observe that gerontology's engagement with AI is shaped by an interventionist logic that situates AI as a black box for gerontological research. We demonstrate how this black box logic has neglected many aspects of AI as a research topic for gerontology and discuss three classical concepts in gerontology to show how they can be used to open various black boxes of aging and AI in the areas: (a) the datafication of aging, (b) the political economy of AI and aging, and (c) everyday engagements and embodiments of AI in later life. In the final chapter, we propose a model of the co-constitution of aging and AI that makes theoretical propositions to study the relational terrain between aging and AI and hence aims to open the black box of AI in gerontology beyond interventionist logic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The independence of the individual plays an important role in ensuring aging in place. By providing accessibility and freedom of movement, technology reduces external dependency in the fulfillment of daily life activities. Gerontechnology has emerged in this context and is trying to develop solutions to the loss of abilities due to aging through technology. Thanks to Gerontechnology, it is easier to live independently of the years involved in life. Thus, it is ensured that the elderly live in their own homes as long as possible, and the elderly care costs are reduced by delaying the demand for institution-based care services. In this study, the effect of technology use on aging in situ was evaluated and inferences were made on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earlier studies show that experiencing life as meaningful in old age promotes holistic wellbeing and health among older people. As more and more people are living with reduced capacities in their own homes, there is an urgent need to find new ways of promoting holistic wellbeing of the ageing population. Analysing data gathered from existential discussion groups on Service TV (STV), we show how strongly relationality and meaning in life are intertwined for older people. Our findings indicate that respect and support for the autonomy of older people is very important: in order to continue living at home, and prepare for a future with reduced capacities, they need family members for support. Autonomy of ageing becomes relational as choices and wishes are negotiated with family members. Relationships also contribute to loss of meaning. When older people felt that they were not close enough to their family, longed for friends of the same age, were bereaved or widowed, the relational gap caused a violation of meaning. In contrast, participation and activities with peers brought deep joy and connectedness to the lives of the participants. STV provided a new channel for participants to find and form meaningful relationships. Therefore, it is concluded that relationality can be supported by technological means of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gerontechnology aims at improving the functioning of older people and their carers in their daily lives as well as improving gerontological practices. To promote gerontechnology innovation in the hospital and bridge the gap between gerontechnology developers and hospitalized frail older patients, our objective was to create and implement a hospital-based geriatric living lab. We designed a hospital-based living lab, providing reflexive workshops bringing around the table gerontechnology users and developers, supplemented with an experimental hospital room receiving both the users and the devices to be tested. Three different types of users were distinguished: seriously ill older inpatients, professional hospital caregivers, and informal carers. Three different kinds of devices were also distinguished: prototypes under development, new services and/or care organizations, and new uses. Finally, we were able to open in 2018 the Angers Living Lab En GéRiatrie hOspitalière (ALLEGRO) hospital-based geriatric living lab. ALLEGRO offers the organization of "idea incubator workshops" for users and developers, together with one "experimental hospital room" equipped with validated devices to provide reference measures used as a standard to test the diagnostic efficacy of prototypes. The room is intended to accommodate one older inpatient with severe acute organic failures. No patient selection is planned at admission, apart from consent to research. Until now, no refusal to participate in a study was noted. In conclusion, we offer a new and unprecedented hospital-based geriatric living lab to improve hospital care for older inpatients and to promote successful aging through gerontechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background non-pharmacological interventions to prevent delirium are useful in hospitalised older adults. However, they are poorly implemented in clinical practice. We aimed to develop a software for bedside use by hospitalised older adults and to improve their access to these interventions. Methods a transdisciplinary team composed of healthcare professionals, designers, engineers and older adults participated in the development of the software. Scrum methodology was used to coordinate the work of the team, and the software was evaluated in a feasibility study. Results a software for touchscreen mobile devices that supports Android 5.0 or later was produced, including modules for time-spatial re-orientation, cognitive stimulation, early mobilisation, sensorial support use promotion, sleep hygiene and pain management optimisation. Horizontal disposition, use of colour contrast and large interaction areas were used to improve accessibility. The software's usability and accessibility were evaluated in 34 older adults (average age 73.2 ± 9.1 years) showing that 91.1% of them got access to all the software functions without previous instructions. The clinical feasibility assessment showed that 83.3% of the 30 enrolled hospitalised patients (76 ± 8 years) completed the 5-day protocol of software usage during hospitalisation. Software use was associated with a decreased trend in delirium incidence of 5 of 32 (15.6%) at baseline to 2 of 30 (6.6%) after its implementation. Conclusion a highly accessible and implementable software, designed to improve access to non-pharmacological interventions to prevent delirium in hospitalised older adults, was developed. The effectiveness of the software will be evaluated in a randomised clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the Study Participatory design (PD) is widely used within gerontechnology but there is no common understanding about which methods are used for what purposes. This review aims to examine what different forms of PD exist in the field of gerontechnology and how these can be categorized. Design and Methods We conducted a systematic literature review covering several databases. The search strategy was based on 3 elements: (1) participatory methods and approaches with (2) older persons aiming at developing (3) technology for older people. Results Our final review included 26 studies representing a variety of technologies designed/developed and methods/instruments applied. According to the technologies, the publications reviewed can be categorized in 3 groups: Studies that (1) use already existing technology with the aim to find new ways of use; (2) aim at creating new devices; (3) test and/or modify prototypes. The implementation of PD depends on the questions: Why a participatory approach is applied, who is involved as future user(s), when those future users are involved, and how they are incorporated into the innovation process. Implications There are multiple ways, methods, and instruments to integrate users into the innovation process. Which methods should be applied, depends on the context. However, most studies do not evaluate if participatory approaches will lead to a better acceptance and/or use of the co-developed products. Therefore, participatory design should follow a comprehensive strategy, starting with the users' needs and ending with an evaluation if the applied methods have led to better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the interest of industry, government agencies and healthcare professionals in technology for aging people has increased. The challenge is whether technology may play a role in enhancing independence and quality of life and in reducing individual and societal costs of caring. Information and communication technologies, i.e. tools aimed at communicating and informing, assistive technologies designed to maintain older peoples' independence and increasing safety, and human–computer interaction technologies for supporting older people with motility and cognitive impairments as humanoid robots, exoskeletons, rehabilitation robots, service robots and companion-type are interdisciplinary topics both in research and in clinical practice. The most promising clinical applications of technologies are housing and safety to guarantee older people remaining in their own homes and communities, mobility and rehabilitation to improve mobility and gait and communication and quality of life by reducing isolation, improve management of medications and transportation. Many factors impair a broad use of technology in older age, including psychosocial and ethical issues, costs and fear of losing human interaction. A substantial lack of appropriate clinical trials to establish the clinical role of technologies to improve physical or cognitive performances and/or quality of life of subjects and their caregivers may suggest that the classical biomedical research model may not be the optimal choice to evaluate technologies in older people. In conclusion, successful technology development requires a great effort in interdisciplinary collaboration to integrate technologies into the existing health and social service systems with the aim to fit into the older adults' everyday life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to identify key determinants of effective implementation of innovations in respect to assisted living ecosystems for the elderly. Desk-study as a method was used and EBSCO (including Medline), ScienceDirect, Open Knowledge Repository, and BazEkon databases were researched. The scope of ageing and its key economic and social consequences are portrayed at the beginning. Then main categories of seniors' needs are presented. Consequently the main ways innovations and new technologies can respond to these needs are identified accompanied by senior citizens' particular attitude toward new technologies, especially ICT. Then Gerontechnology is presented not only as an important social innovation, but also as a leverage for more effective implementation of innovations and modern technologies in active and assisted living for seniors. The article ends with identification of three key success factors for effective implementation of innovations and new technologies by independently living seniors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What benefit will new technologies offer if they are inadequately or not used? This work presents a meta-synthesis of adoption of technology related findings from four innovative monitoring intervention research studies with older adults and their informal and/or formal caregivers. Each study employed mixed methods analyses that lead to an understanding of the key variables that influenced adoption of telephone and Internet based wireless remote monitoring technologies by elders and their caregivers. The studies were all conducted in 'real world' homes ranging from solo residences to multi-story independent living residential buildings. Insights gained came from issues not found in controlled laboratory environments but in the complex interplay of family-elder-staff dynamics around balancing safety and independence. Findings resulted in an adoption of technology model for remote monitoring of elders' daily activities derived from evidence based research to advance both practical and theoretical development in the field of gerontechnology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AI in elderly care promises to be predictive, personalized, preventive, participatory. • AI could also bring disruption of care processes and relationships. • Model to frame ethical risks is lacking. • 4d-model: risk of depersonalized, discriminatory, dehumanized, disciplining care. • Joint effort of all stakeholders to prevent 4d-risks needed. Gerontechnology based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to fulfill the promise of the so-called 4p-medicine and enable a predictive, personalized, preventive, and participatory elderly care. Although empirical evidence shows positive health outcomes, commentators are concerned that AI-based gerontechnology could bring along the disruption of elderly care. A systematic conceptualization of these concerns is lacking. In this paper, such a conceptualization is suggested by analyzing the risks of AI in elderly care as "4d-risks": the depersonalization of care through algorithm-based standardization, the discrimination of minority groups through generalization, the dehumanization of the care relationship through automatization, and the disciplination of users through monitoring and surveillance. Based on the 4d-model, strategies for a patient-centered AI in elderly care are outlined. Whether AI-based gerontechnology will actualize the 4p-perspective or bring about the 4d-scenario depends on whether joint efforts of users, caregivers, care providers, engineers, and policy makers will be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]