Designing an Interactive Messaging and Reminder Display for Elderly

Abstract

Despite the wealth of information and communication technology in society today, there appears to be a lack of acceptable information services for the growing elderly population in need of care. Acceptability is not only related to human factors such as button size and legibility, but rather relates to perceived value and harmony in relation to existing living patterns. This paper describes the design of an asynchronous interactive communication system based upon a bulletin board metaphor. A panel of end-users was involved in various stages of the design process. To improve ease of use, functionality exposed to elderly users is limited, while caregivers are given extended control. A pilot field study with a working prototype showed a high degree of user acceptance. The user centered approach resulted in a design concept that was acceptable for the elderly participants.