'Ageing in place' and the impact of emerging technologies on the lives of older people

Demographic ageing has raised many issues for policy and practice, particularly in terms of how society should best support and care for the ageing population. Governments around the western world have recommended that older people should be supported to 'age in place' in the belief that this will also promote quality of life and well-being in later life. With a policy focus on enabling older people to remain in their homes for as long as possible there is an increasing need to critically look at the impact that technologies supporting 'ageing in place' have on the everyday lives of older people. It is important therefore that the social and ethical implications that these technologies could have on older people are explored from a number of different perspectives, including those of older people, designers, social scientists and computing scientists.Whilst new technologies clearly have the potential to support independent living in the home for older people, what is less clear is whether or not these technologies also promote a wider connection outside of the home. The funding being sought will support Dr Katie Brittain to develop national and international links with experts in the design and development of emerging technologies for older people. Importantly this funding provides Katie with the opportunity to make clear links between her disciplinary expertise in social gerontology with more participatory methods of enquiry in the design process of technology for older people.The research focus that will be developed lie in the role that new emerging and digital technologies can play in assisting older people to stay connected to their wider community and protecting/supporting their self perception and identity within the private environment of the home. The proposed 'host' organisation for the discipline hop is based within Culture Lab at Newcastle University. Katie will gain experience and new skills in being part of a large collaborative research environment that currently comprises computer scientists, electronic engineers, interaction designers, psychologists and creative practitioners. Many of the projects currently being undertaken have the potential to benefit Katie greatly in the application and development of her research interests relating to theoretically applied concepts within social gerontology and the design and evaluation of emerging technologies.

The 'discipline hopping activity' will ensure that the current and future research being undertaken within Culture Lab is integrated to the theories of ageing and theoretically applied concepts within social gerontology. Katie will be given the opportunity to strengthen and integrate her links between social gerontology and the interface of development and acceptability of new and emerging technologies within the design processes for older people to 'age in place'. Katie's experience in exploring the lived experiences of older people in different settings will be used and integrated with the design and development of work activities being undertaken within the hub. Not only will Katie benefit from the expertise and research being undertaken within Culture Lab but the hub will also benefit from her knowledge around the social aspects of ageing and applied social gerontological research. This will ensure that participatory research design methods are at the core of the work being undertaken in Newcastle, thus including the voice of older people in shaping these new and emerging technologies. A further impact that this funding would offer is establishing strong links between the Institute of Health and Society and Computing Science. As part of translating the knowledge she acquires during her placement, in Culture Lab and from the USA, Katie will lead on organising a series of seminars that translate new research agendas across the social gerontology and emerging technology divide. Katie will also have the opportunity to make new collaborations across the academic environment, business and a large user panel in which she can disseminate and take forward her research ideas into high quality proposals that span the health, social, technology, business and computing funding bodies.