title: Unobtrusive In-Home Monitoring of Cognitive and Physical Health: Reactions and Perceptions of Older Adults.
abstract: While the potential benefits of unobtrusive in-home sensing technologies for maintaining health and independence of older adults have been highlighted in recent research, little is known about their views toward such technology. The aims of this project were to identify monitoring needs and expectations of community-residing elderly and their family members. Focus groups were presented with examples of in-home monitoring devices and data output; participants were asked to consider whether the data showed information that was meaningful to them, and how and to whom they would like to have such data disseminated. Content analysis of transcripts revealed four dominant themes: maintaining independence, detecting cognitive decline, sharing of information, and the tradeoff between privacy and usefulness of monitoring. The acceptance by elderly of unobtrusive in-home monitoring was closely tied to perceived utility of data generated by such systems. Privacy concerns appeared to be less of an issue than anticipated in this sample.
authors.affiliation: Layton Aging and Alzheimer Center, Dept. of Neurology, Oregon Health and Science University, CR-131, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239; wildk@ohsu.edu , 503-494-6975; boisel@ohsu.edu , 503-494-6370; fouceka@ohsu.edu , 503-494-6370.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boise
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lundell
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foucek