Elderly Experience of Smart Objects: How Technology and Family Support Can Make Senior Users Overcome Their Limits

Abstract

The technological landscape is witnessing a convergence process between mainstream technologies, especially Smart Objects (SOs), and technologies for elderlies. The experience of the resulting devices, the Elderly Friendly Smart Objects (EFSOs), is still understudied in literature. A qualitative study revealed how the use of EFSOs can give elderly consumers more autonomy and social connections. At the same time, data showed the critical role of their family in adopting and using EFSOs. Having seniors using the EFSO can create a more immediate and straightforward (digital) connection between elderly parents and their adult kids. This process can result in more safety for the parents and more peace of mind for the adult kids.