A Communication Device and Platform for Connecting Isolated Elderly People with Absolutely No Internet Skills (65150)

Session Information: Adult, Lifelong & Distance Learning
Session Chair: Carl Becker

Friday, January 6, 2023 (09:25)
Session: Session 1
Room: 323B
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation

All presentation times are UTC-10 (Pacific/Honolulu)

Do you know elderly people who live alone but reject Internet technology?  How do you enlighten them about the benefit of being connected online, especially in the post-Covid19 era? Past attempts often tried to teach advanced technology with a lot of help from assistant staff, often volunteers, but most of those projects were short-lived. This project aims to create a long-lasting communication environment in which elderly participants with no Internet skills can be connected using a custom-made, easy-to-use communication device. The device has only six buttons, a speaker, and a power switch. Pushing a button plays a pre-recorded phrase such as “Good morning”, “How are you today?”, or “I’m not feeling well.” If a button is pressed on one device, all other devices play the same phrase. This simple system is intended to solve existing problems, such as teaching Internet skills to elderly participants, the need for dedicated staff, online harassment, flame war, and privacy. Two preliminary trials with 12 participants each were conducted in cooperation with the Council of Social Welfare of Ayase City, Kanagawa, Japan. The participants in their 70s to 90s quickly understood the usage of the device. The device and the communication platform worked flawlessly, but some participants still seemed to have hesitations in pushing buttons. The post-trial interview revealed that almost all participants were comfortable with the device and could feel they were connected to other people. We are trying to expand the trial to other areas of the city.

Authors:
Hiromi Oda, Tokyo Online University, Japan
Noriyuki Enomoto, Tokyo Online University, Japan
Satsuki Obe, Alpha Medical Welfare College, Japan
Mizuho Imahashi, Ibaraki Christian University, Japan
Noritaka Fujita, Tokyo Online University, Japan


About the Presenter(s)
Dr Hiromi Oda is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Tokyo Online University in Japan

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Posted by Clive Staples Lewis

Last updated: 2023-02-23 23:45:00