Assisted Living

Abstract

I wanted to tell a story from the point of view of a data entry worker, someone not typically considered when the advantages and disadvantages of eldercare technologies are being assessed. The worker, remotely located and unknown to the people she watches, offers a perspective that points out some of the strangeness of watching from a distance a living person being injured, struggling, or just needing human care and attention. As we move into more widespread use of eldercare technologies, it’s worth considering how surveillant and robotic technologies to support independent elder living could change our relationships with and sensitivity to older populations.