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“It is very convenient when it works – successes and challenges with welfare technology” - a qualitative study

Svärdh, Samantha A. LU ; Lorenzini, Giana Carli ; Samuelsson, Ulli ; Schmidt, Steven M. LU orcid ; Iwarsson, Susanne LU and Fristedt, Sofi LU (2025) In PLOS Digital Health 4(4 April).
Abstract

Welfare technology (WT) use is increasingly advocated to facilitate aging in place. However, it remains unclear how older adults and homecare staff perceive these digital technologies in practice. This qualitative study investigated the ways in which current WT either facilitated or fell short in supporting older adults in their daily lives and homecare staff at work. Four key themes were developed using thematic analysis: 1) Successes and challenges with ease of use (i.e., how simple it is to interact with the WT); 2) Successes and challenges with usefulness (i.e., how effective the WT is in achieving its intended purpose); 3) Challenges with appearance, sounds and physical location; and 4) Challenges with technical maintenance and... (More)

Welfare technology (WT) use is increasingly advocated to facilitate aging in place. However, it remains unclear how older adults and homecare staff perceive these digital technologies in practice. This qualitative study investigated the ways in which current WT either facilitated or fell short in supporting older adults in their daily lives and homecare staff at work. Four key themes were developed using thematic analysis: 1) Successes and challenges with ease of use (i.e., how simple it is to interact with the WT); 2) Successes and challenges with usefulness (i.e., how effective the WT is in achieving its intended purpose); 3) Challenges with appearance, sounds and physical location; and 4) Challenges with technical maintenance and vulnerabilities. Findings revealed paradoxes in both older adult and homecare staff user perceptions. For instance, some successes with WT’s usefulness were highlighted, like GPS safety alarms in supporting older adult independence. However, challenges in usefulness were also exposed, like staff hiding “overused” safety alarms. Except for the medication robot, none of the WT devices clearly alleviated anticipated homecare staff shortages. WT perceived as auditorily or visually inadequate, that required more effort than users could comfortably manage, or that organizations could seamlessly integrate, were generally regarded as challenging. To overcome such challenges, greater involvement from older adults and homecare staff in the design and implementation of WT within homecare contexts is necessary. Refined criteria for prescribing WT to individuals, particularly regarding cognitive status, are additionally recommended by the researchers.

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publication status
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in
PLOS Digital Health
volume
4
issue
4 April
article number
e0000844
publisher
Public Library of Science
external identifiers
  • pmid:40273064
  • scopus:105003834488
DOI
10.1371/journal.pdig.0000844
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
9f4daddd-4ed6-4277-bd3e-a3b48b98c85c
date added to LUP
2025-08-15 11:57:03
date last changed
2025-08-29 12:55:54
@article{9f4daddd-4ed6-4277-bd3e-a3b48b98c85c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Welfare technology (WT) use is increasingly advocated to facilitate aging in place. However, it remains unclear how older adults and homecare staff perceive these digital technologies in practice. This qualitative study investigated the ways in which current WT either facilitated or fell short in supporting older adults in their daily lives and homecare staff at work. Four key themes were developed using thematic analysis: 1) Successes and challenges with ease of use (i.e., how simple it is to interact with the WT); 2) Successes and challenges with usefulness (i.e., how effective the WT is in achieving its intended purpose); 3) Challenges with appearance, sounds and physical location; and 4) Challenges with technical maintenance and vulnerabilities. Findings revealed paradoxes in both older adult and homecare staff user perceptions. For instance, some successes with WT’s usefulness were highlighted, like GPS safety alarms in supporting older adult independence. However, challenges in usefulness were also exposed, like staff hiding “overused” safety alarms. Except for the medication robot, none of the WT devices clearly alleviated anticipated homecare staff shortages. WT perceived as auditorily or visually inadequate, that required more effort than users could comfortably manage, or that organizations could seamlessly integrate, were generally regarded as challenging. To overcome such challenges, greater involvement from older adults and homecare staff in the design and implementation of WT within homecare contexts is necessary. Refined criteria for prescribing WT to individuals, particularly regarding cognitive status, are additionally recommended by the researchers.</p>}},
  author       = {{Svärdh, Samantha A. and Lorenzini, Giana Carli and Samuelsson, Ulli and Schmidt, Steven M. and Iwarsson, Susanne and Fristedt, Sofi}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4 April}},
  publisher    = {{Public Library of Science}},
  series       = {{PLOS Digital Health}},
  title        = {{“It is very convenient when it works – successes and challenges with welfare technology” - a qualitative study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pdig.0000844}},
  doi          = {{10.1371/journal.pdig.0000844}},
  volume       = {{4}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}