The role of User-Centred Design (UCD) in support of Ageing in place: assistive devices, social platforms, service UCD and robotics to enhance wellbeing for older adults

Abstract

Within the UK and all developed countries, our ageing populations represent an unprecedented, though predicted, demographic change. Our success in extending life expectancy presents us with increased demands for health and social care, within the context of severe financial constraints – a so called ‘wicked problem’. UCD offers an intrinsic people-centred approach and the ability to bring together multidisciplinary perspectives necessary to frame and develop potential solutions to this type of difficult and complex problem. UCD methodology enables stakeholders’ alignment, requirements elicitation, inclusive participation and creative thinking. The symposium will focus on discussing how a UCD approach to social and technological innovation may offer real life solutions to improve the quality of life of older adults in their home, for mobility, for social connection and friendships. This symposium aims to bring to the fore UCD interventions made to improve the wellbeing of those who are ageing, with the intent to highlight research methodologies that would benefit other non-UCD researchers. In addition, the participation of older adults in the design research will demonstrate how ageing could become an asset when considering services, systems and products’ improvement. The symposium brings together a number of contributions that range from product, to system and technology development; the common thread being the involvement of the older adults as participants or co-designers.