What Are my Options to Stay Safe at Home: Technology For Aging at Home

Overview

Most older people want to stay at home as long as possible. Effective self-management for people losing autonomy depends on reliable monitoring of their mobility, health and safety and active implication in decision-making. New technologies have the potential to provide information about changing patterns that reflect changing care needs. This information could help older adults, caregivers and health professionals to participate in decision-making about housing options when a change in living environment needs to be considered.

This is a multi-phase study to be conducted in 3 countries: Canada (Quebec and Alberta), Sweden and Netherlands. The primary objective is to provide e-decision support technology that will facilitate self-management in the context of aging in place and foster informed value congruent decisions about options to age safely at home. The aim of the project is to develop and validate a e-technology based on already existing components (e.g. GPS devices, diverse e-platforms and decision support interventions) to 1) help older adults with mild cognitive impairment/memory problems to stay safely at home as long as possible and 2) to provide older adults with decision support tools to help them make informed value congruent decisions (e.g. foster a shared decision-making process) regarding aging at home in a safe manner. The secondary objectives are: 1. Assess autonomy and mobility of older adults with mild cognitive impairment/memory problems living at home. 2. Inform shared decision-making processes about options to safely age in place for all those involved. The investigators will apply an integrated Knowledge Translation (iKT), comparative, mixed-methods approach to explore, older adults living at home with mild cognitive impairment/memory problems, their use of space in their homes and neighbourhoods. The project is divide into 4 work package (WP). In more details, during WP1, the investigators will collect spatial data (e.g. using GPS) and self-reported data (e.g. travel diaries, walking interviews, in-depth interviews, surveys). At WP2, the investigators will use iterative end-user feedback and end-user consultation discussion group to tailor a decision support technology to knowledge-users. At WP3, investigators will assess user opinion regarding factors that could influence their use of the newly adapted e-decision support technology. Finally, at WP4 the investigators will triangulate data and take into account differences between jurisdictions. This collaboration and our cross-country comparisons will contribute to scaling up e-decision support solutions in the future for the older adults with mild cognitive impairment/memory problems who want to age safely at home.