Designing Smart Tech Solutions for Enhanced Aging in Place: A Caregiver EvaluationSuksawang, Sukritta (2024) Designing Smart Tech Solutions for Enhanced Aging in Place: A Caregiver Evaluation. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)
AbstractPurpose: The emerging challenges in caregiving, due to the aging global population and the increasing trend of older adults preferring to age in their home environments, emphasize the need for effective technological solutions. Particularly, smart home technologies and remote monitoring systems are essential to support caregivers and care recipients. The research aims to develop and evaluate a prototype remote monitoring system, CARE360, to enhance the caregiving process and facilitate aging in place. Methods: The study was conducted in four phases: Conceptualization, System Development, Small-Group Interviews, and Data Analysis. The CARE360 system, a low-fidelity prototype, focused on seven care areas: Overall Activity, General Health, Medication Compliance, Climate Control, Bathroom Use, Bedroom Use, and Wandering Behavior. It integrated various smart devices for comprehensive monitoring. Small-group interviews were conducted with seven informal caregivers to understand their needs in providing care for older adults, highlighting the importance of caregiver and care recipient perspectives, evaluating the CARE360 system, and gathering feedback for improvements. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods, including demographic questionnaires, Likert scale ratings, and thematic analysis. Results: The participants provided insights into the usability and effectiveness of the CARE360 system. The findings demonstrated an acknowledgment of the system's potential to enhance caregiving capabilities and effectively manage the needs of care recipients. Caregivers evaluated various aspects of the system, including its importance, usefulness, and ease of use. The results revealed diverse levels of perceived usefulness and ease of use across the seven monitoring areas. Overall, the feedback was positive, highlighting the system's ability to offer peace of mind and improve the quality of care provided to older adults. Conclusions: This study lays the foundation for the development of remote monitoring systems, focusing on the CARE360 system and its coverage of seven key care areas. The user-centric design of the CARE360 system, combined with its capability to integrate a variety of smart devices, presents a promising solution for addressing the practical challenges faced by caregivers. However, further research and development are necessary to refine and tailor the CARE360 system to effectively meet the diverse and specific needs of both caregivers and care recipients. Share
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